Saint Paul Lutheran Church
McAllen, Hidalgo County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in Pharr in 1916 by the Rev. Paul Birkman and five charter members, St. Paul Lutheran Church moved to McAllen in 1917. Early worship service, conducted in German, were held in the First Methodist Church. The Lutherans purchased the former McAllen Christian Church building in 1919 and met there until the 1940s. A brick building was constructed to house both the church and the parochial school established in 1943. A 20-acre site was purchased here in 1952, and a new sanctuary and school were erected. The church serves the area with several programs. (1996)
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
Organized in Pharr in 1916 by the Rev. Paul Birkman and five charter members, this Lutheran congregation moved to McAllen the following year, holding its early services in German inside the local Methodist church. The Lutherans bought a former church building in 1919, later added a parochial school in 1943, and in 1952 purchased a 20-acre site for a new sanctuary and school. Its German-language worship reflects the immigrant roots of many Rio Grande Valley settlers.
Why it matters
It traces how immigrant faith communities put down institutional roots in the rapidly growing Rio Grande Valley of the early twentieth century.
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Related people
- · Rev. Paul Birkman
Themes & tags
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