News Release before the Service

The historical Baptist Church in Wasioja, which is preserved and maintained by the Dodge County Historical Society, will open it's doors to the public on December 19, Friday evening at 6:30 PM for an old fashioned church gathering of songs and a brief service. The Wasioja Civil War committee is hosting the event to encourage an opportunity for neighbors near and far to take a glimpse back in to history. The Free Will Baptists built the Baptist church in 1858, and was the first church building erected in Dodge County. This was before the native limestone quarries surrounding Wasioja were excavated and this church is the only wood frame building in the historic district in Wasioja. The Church was organized on August 1, 1857 with Reverend Shepard from Old Concord and his nineteen members. He was the pastor. There were four churches in Wasioja in the late 1850s and early 1860s; but only one still stands, which is the Baptist Church. It hasn’t been used for several years.

The church was part of the recent Mantorville Old Fashioned Christmas House Tour on December 6, 2008. The Mantorville Chamber of Commerce hosted the event, with the Wasioja Civil War committee attending to this site. It was decorated uniquely, and nearly 200 people stopped for a visit that chilly Saturday afternoon. Some came as far as Colorado, and others visited from just next-door. Many memories were shared that day; some told the story of their wedding (1957) in the church, and others talked about how they went to services every Sunday as a child. Others remembered the community Vacation Bible School being held for 1 or 2 weeks for several years. Some guests remembered their loved ones having a funeral service there. The pulpit that you see is from the ruins of the 1905 fire at the Wasioja Seminary Building.

Iris Kent of West Concord remembers how her mother, Mae (Perley) House starting Sunday school in this church before she married Iris' father, Bill House. Iris remembers how her father would get to the church about one hour before Sunday school was to start, and get both wood stoves going. Iris, born in 1919, remembers as a young girl her cheeks being numb with cold after the service. Her mother, Mae, would drive the horses and wagon to the church on Sunday mornings with Iris and her three brothers, and tie the horses to a tree on the south side of the church. Then Mae would get ready for Sunday school for an adult group and one child group, always finding a volunteer to help teach with her. Iris remembers Reverend John Larson from the Northwestern Bible College would come to Wasioja on occasion and hold a regular church service on a Sunday morning after Sunday school, and some of the young women from this college would come and help teach Sunday school. Iris fondly remembers the pump organ in the church, and her mother playing it. She said the church had rows of chairs that were hooked together with 2 x 4 foot boards. She doesn't remember when the pews in the church came to be. If someone does, I hope they can share that with us.

Mrs. Carol Wall of Byron remembers that her and her husband, Fritz, taught Sunday school at this church from 1961 to 1986. The last 5 years or so they held Sunday school in a Wasioja neighbor's home, as the oil stove at that time wasn't working in the church. Carol played the piano. They said it was hard to get a speaker for Sunday service, but several times a year, the adults would come if there was a speaker. Children came for Sunday school every week, and the attendance was very high. Fritz Wall said that the American Sunday School Union representatives came to them in 1961 while living in Byron, and informed them how the town of Wasioja had no one to teach the children bible stories and asked them if they would be interested. They both have fond memories of teaching the children bible stories for over 25 years. “We were never paid for our time or gas during those 25 years, we just enjoyed helping out.” They would also have summer camps at Woodland Camp, and later Camp Victory over by the power dam on the Zumbro River.

So, if you desire to see this little church come 'alive' again, please come for an enjoyable hour to hear the story of Jesus' birth and to sing Christmas carols starting at 6:30 PM on Friday, December 19th. Dress warm. It is reminiscent of long ago and many things in life have changed, but the story of Jesus’ birth never changes. There is no charge for the event. The church is located one block east of the limestone schoolhouse in Wasioja.

Part II

Christmas at the Wasioja Baptist Church

by Dori Greene

Friends from near and far came to the old fashioned Christmas service in Wasioja this past Friday evening.  The eight to ten inches of snow that fell earlier that day did not seem to be a deterrent to the ones who were determined to join the service.  John Carroll, local Wasioja resident, graciously volunteered to remove the heavy snowfall from the parking lot.  There were 73 people present and several people were left standing, as the pews and chairs were full to the brim.  Many arrived early, knowing full well that there was a lack of heat in the building, but wanted a place to sit.  The amount of heavy clothing that people wore was reminiscent of the old days.  The goal was to stay warm and enjoy the service, just like before.

The guests were entertained prior to the church service with Christmas carols by Miss Claudia Hodgman of West Concord, who played on the old piano that sits valiantly in the front of the church.  The opening greetings were led by Mary Ann Bucher.  The Christmas service was sponsored by "Friends of Wasioja". There would be an offering taken during the service for those who wished to donate half to "Faith in Action," and half to  "Friends of Wasioja," for restoration for the buildings in Wasioja.  The building was still decorated with old fashioned decorations from the previous open house held December 6th.

The service was led by local Methodist pastors, who are husband and wife, Michelle Miller and Rob Kopp.  Each having their own congregation in separate towns, they commented that it was fun to do this service together. Several carols were led by Rob, and at the piano was Michelle.  They both read scripture of the birth of Jesus from Luke chapters 1 and 2. An interactive poem entitled The Creation by James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938) was read by Rob, and Michelle did expressions of the content and it was magnificent.

Marlyn Schroeder from Mantorville brought her grandfather's psalmodikon and did a solo, Jeg Er Sa Glad.  It was very unique, and she shared the history of this instrument. It is a single-stringed musical instrument. It was developed in Scandinavia for simplifying music in churches and schools. Beginning in the early 1800s, it was adopted by many rural churches in Scandinavia; later, immigrants brought the instrument to the United States. At the time, many congregations could not afford organs. Dance instruments were considered inappropriate for sacred settings, so violins were not allowed. The psalmodikon, on the other hand, was inexpensive to build, was not used for dancing, took up little space, and could be played by people with little musical training. Its slow, melodic quality worked well with the hymns of the period. Examples of older printed music from these churches often have numbers written over the words. These corresponded to numbers painted on the fret board of the psalmodikon. This allowed players who could not read standard musical notation to accompany hymns. As churches saved money for organs, psalmodikons became less common. By the late 20th century, they were rarely seen outside of museums.  Marlyn also brought her violin and was accompaniment for the carols, and also played a violin solo, Ashokon, a Civil War melody.

After the service, it seemed no one was in a hurry to the exit door.  People lingered and interacted with one another, a few pictures were taken, and many stories were shared.  Graham and Marilyn Luck of Byron have roots in Wasioja.  Ms Luck grew up in the "Doig" house in Wasioja, daughter of Harold and Lillian Phelps, granddaughter of Isabelle Franklin who lived in the west end of Wasioja in the old hotel.  The old pump organ that was on loan from Ms Franklin from so many years ago sat in the church and was used every sunday.  When the church closed down in the 1980's, the pump organ found it's way back to  Isabelle Franklin, and when she passed away her daughter Lillian passed it on to the next generation.  Harold and Lillian Phelps' daughter, Marilyn and her husband Graham Luck, were the next owners. Luck's have graciously filled the forms out for the Dodge County Historical Society for donation of this organ back into its original setting of the Wasioja Church.  Hopefully, this beautiful organ which still plays, will be 'coming home' to Wasioja once again.

Fritz Wall from Byron attended the services and has fond memories of this church where he and his wife helped with Sunday school for 24 years.  Glen and Mary Lou Hanson from Old Concord were in attendance, and Glen remembers when his parents, Ed and Clara Hanson, helped with Sunday school in this church, too.  Lorna Greene Zincke remembers going to vacation bible school in the 1950s or 60s when she lived in Wasioja as a child.  There are several other stories that will be saved for another time to share, and the committee welcomes your stories.  This is how we pass the history on to future generations.

Many people thanked the committee for having the church open for a service. It has had it's doors closed for over 20 years. There are already requests for next year's Christmas service for right here in this little church. The village of Wasioja and its history seems to spark an interest in many people, and the "Friends of Wasioja" committee is trying to capture your enthusiasm and interest, and they plan to do many more events.