Augustana
Synod
(1860-1962)
Albany Park (Olavus Petri, All Saints)
Augustana
Austin Messiah
Bethany
Bethel
Bethel English
Bethesda
Bethlehem
Calvary
Capernaum (St. Mark's)
Central
Christ the King
Concordia
Ebenezer
Ebenezer (Oakdale)
Elim
Emaus (Jefferson Park)
First Gethsemane
Grace
Gustavus Adolphus
Immanuel
Irving Park
Lebanon (Cragin)
Lebanon (Hegewisch)
Messiah (North Side)
Messiah (South Side)
Nebo
Olivet
St. James
St. John's
St. Luke's
St. Mark's (Capernaum)
St. Matthew
St. Paul's
Salem
Saron
Tabor
Trinity
Zion
Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, a member of the Augustana Synod, was organized in 1868 as an outgrowth of Immanuel Lutheran Church to serve Swedish residents on Chicago's South Side.
From 1870 to 1885 the
congregation worshiped in a building (building exterior and interior pictured at left and
below) located on Bushnell St. (now 23rd Place) on lots donated by members of
Immanuel. In 1885 the congregation moved to the east side of Princeton Avenue, between
28th and 29th Sts.
In 1922 the congregation moved to 74th Street and Calumet Avenue, at 318 E. 74th St. in the Park Manor neighborhood on the South Side. The Princeton St. building (pictured at left in 1975 photo) was sold to a Roman Catholic congregation. In 1923 the new parish building was completed and in 1926 the new church (pictured at top and at bottom) was dedicated.
As the racial composition of the Park Manor neighborhood changed in the 1950s, Salem opened its doors to black members, becoming one of the first multi-racial Lutheran congregations in the city.
| Pastors | |
| A. Hult | 1868-1869 |
| J. Nyquist | 1871-1875 |
| C.B.L. Boman | 1877-1886 |
| L.G. Abrahamson | 1886-1909 |
| C.E. Hoffstein | 1909-1918 |
| E.T. Anderson | 1918-1921 |
| Conrad Bergendoff | 1921-1931 |
| Oscar A. Benson | 1931-1942 |
| Constantine Trued | 1943-1949 |
| Philip A. Johnson | 1949-1958 |
| James P. Claypool | 1958-1961 |
| Norman A. Nelson | 1961-1970 |
Original records
Original record books should be found at Salem Lutheran Church, 318
E. 74th St., Chicago, IL 60619-1899. Early books have been
microfilmed and are available at the ELCA Archives and at the
Swenson Swedish Immigration Research Center at Augustana College in Rock
Island, Ill. Filmed as Augustana #A18, the microfilm contains
church minutes from 1868-1932 on reel #1, membership records from 1873-1916
and ministerial acts from 1871-1885 on reel #2, and membership records from
1888-1931 and ministerial acts from 1886-1930 on reel #3. The ELCA Archives
also has congregational histories, church publications, and other materials
relating to Salem.
Sources
Salem Lutheran Church, Ninety Years of Christian Service.
Chicago: Salem Lutheran Church, 1958.
Salem Lutheran Church, Century +. Chicago: Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1968.