Our Heritage
Trinity Lutheran Church, as we know it today resulted from the 1918 merger of the United Lutheran Church in America Synod and the Norwegian Lutheran Synod. The churches had begun as the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran and Our Savior's Norwegian Evangelical in their respective Synods in 1875, in north La Crosse. Then in 1890, Trinity joined the United Lutheran Church in America Synod the year it was organized.
In 1888, Pastor E.O. Vik was called to serve as the first pastor, serving until his death in 1939. His parish consisted of Bostwick Valley Sparta, Onalaska, and the Norwegian Evangelical.
The first new church was built on the corner of Charles and Sill Street with worship beginning in October 1890 and continuing until 1958. This church was torn down and a new church was constructed just across the street from the old one. Our new church was completed in 1956. The design of this church won national awards and is recognized throughout the country as one of the best examples of contemporary church architecture-the total cost was $357,700.
Our Parish Education building, consisted of 27 classrooms, offices, youth room parlor, library and storage rooms, was built in 1957 and is used for many purposes.