Fredsville Evangelical Lutheran Church
Organized in 1871 by Danish imigrants. The name Fredsville is from two Danish words, "Fred" meaning Peace and "Ville" Meaning Rest or Village. The first church was built in 1874 with the cemetery surrounding it. The new church was errected in 1961 across the road from where the old church stood. Fredsville denotes a peaceful place to live and worship.
1850 - No organized groups of Indigenous People remained in Iowa.
Dec 28, 1846 - Iowa becomes the 29th State in the Union.
1866 - Danish immigrants began to settle in Black Hawk, Grundy & Butler counties, Iowa. They met in homes for worship.
March 12, 1871 - The congregation was organized in a living room & called “The Scandinavian Lutheran Congregation”.
1871 - Missionary Pastor A. S. Neilsen came from Denmark. He led worship at both Fredsville & Nazareth in Cedar Falls.
1874 - The first church was completed, 32x20, for $425.
Feb. 14, 1875 - First burial at Fredsville, child of Jorgen Schmidt.
1885 - A new church was built expanding to 48x28.
January 26th, 1888 - Congregation was renamed “Fredsville”.
Until this time it was known as “The Scandinavian Lutheran Congregation”, "the congregation on the prairie," or "Fairfield congregation".
1889 - The first parsonage was built for $1000.
1889 - Fredsville called the first resident pastor.
1900 - Church Bell donated by the young women’s society.
1900 - The Railroad came to Dike.
1902 - Fredsville population is 52.
1903 - The auditorium was built at a cost of $2,500.
1905 - The marble Baptismal font was purchased and is still in use.
1889-1909 - Fredsville had a U.S. Post Office.
1909 - Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church of America held its Synodical Convention at Fredsville.
1911 - The 40th Anniversary welcomed over 500 people.
1918 - Governor of Iowa declares God only hears prayer in English, all schools & churches must use only English. Fredsville & other multilingual congregations protest, order withdrawn.
1922 - The Sexton house was built.
1935? - Indoor plumbing added to the parsonage.
1936 - First church meeting minutes in English.
1941 - English is the official language of meetings.
1950 - Current Sexton house built, now known as “The Villa”.
1952 - Last record of worship in Danish vs English language.
1958 - Worked with other congregations to establish The Cedar Falls Lutheran Home for the Aged (renamed “NewAldaya”).
1960 - The new Church building was built for $79,600.
1962 - Joins the Iowa Synod of the Lutheran Church in America.
1963 - The new parsonage was completed for $17,466.
1967 - The fellowship hall and Sunday school classrooms added.
1994 - Fredsville was given 225 acres of farmland by Joe Arends.
Rent from this land is used for the endowment fund that still supports college students and provides grants to non-profit organizations each year.
2005 - 30 Lambs in the cemetery to mark the graves of children.
2014 - New addition, expanding the gathering space, new offices, bathrooms, and conference room.
July 5, 2015 - Fredsville goes online with worship recordings.
Sept. 2015 - The Family Clothing Closet began at Fredsville.
Oct. 2019 - Little Free Pantry installed at the Dike Library.
April 8, 2024 - The 28.8 kilowatt Solar Energy System activated.
60 solar panels mounted on the roof of the fellowship hall.
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Fredsville Church
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