Key Number:	HS 36754
Site Name:	Markerville Lutheran Church
Other Names:
Site Type:	1603 - Religious: Church, Cathedral or Chapel

Location

ATS Legal Description:

			Twp	Rge	Mer
			36	2	5

Address:	66 Johnson Avenue
Number:
Street:
Avenue:
Other:
Town:	Markerville
Near Town:

Media

Type	Number	Date	View	Source

Architectural

Style:
Plan Shape:
Storeys:	Storeys: 1
Foundation:	Basement/Foundation Wall Material: Stone
Superstructure:	Nailed Frame
Superstructure Cover:	Wood: Clapboard (Bevel or Drop Siding)
Roof Structure:	High Gable
Roof Cover:
Exterior Codes:	Chimney Stack Material: Brick
Exterior:	Brick chimney on east side runs full height of building. One central tower. It is rectangular, gable-roofed building measuring approximately twelve metres by seven metres in size. Its exterior walls are clad in wooden drop-siding and the roof is clad in cedar shingles. Four rectangular windows line its east and west elevations. A square bell tower with an eight-sided steeple projects from the front (south) facade. The bell tower features the main entryway and a gothic-arched transom, four gothic-arched louvered openings, two arched windows, a curved wrought iron sign and a circular wooden decoration. - white exterior walls; - square bell tower with eight-sided, flared, wood shingle-clad steeple, decorative brackets and dog-tooth shingle trim centrally-located on and projecting from the front (south) elevation; - Celtic cross surmounting the tower; - four gothic-arched, louvered ventilation openings in the belfry; - two rectangular window openings with gothic arches on the east and west sides of the bell tower; - medium-pitched, wood shingle-clad gable roof; - south-facing front entryway surmounted by a gothic-arched transom of colored glass located in the base of the bell tower; - circular, wooden decorative element on the south side of the bell tower surmounting the main doorway; - fenestration pattern of four rectangular window openings on the east and west elevations; - secondary entrance located on the eastern edge of the rear (north) elevation; - exterior walls clad in wooden drop-siding; - sandstone foundation; - wrought iron "1907" date and arched sign reading "Markerville Lutheran Church" surmounting the front entry.
Interior:	- white interior walls clad in vertically-oriented, v-joint lumber; - barrel-vaulted ceiling clad in horizontally-oriented, white-painted v-joint lumber; - open floor plan of the worship area; - stained wood finishing on the relatively simple altar rail and lectern; - presence of original 1907 organ, donated by the "Vonin" Ladies Aid group; - presence of folding theatre-style seating, acquired second hand from a nearby theatre in the 1940s; - extant original wood strip flooring; - extant original, light gray-painted mill work and wood trim on window and door frames; - stained glass from the remains of storm-destroyed west facing windows used in newly made stained glass windows on the bell tower.
Environment:	Church is situated on grassy corner lot facing southeast (town is angled because of river border). A carragana bush is located near south extension with a full lot hedge of carragana to the west. The building remains in its original environment on a large corner lot in the Hamlet of Markerville. Vegetation immediately adjacent to the west is much more mature, including large spruce and deciduous trees. The site also retains its grass and carragana perimeter hedge.
Condition:	Structure: Good. Repair: Good. 7 JUN 1982.
Alterations:	N/A

Historical

Construction:	Construction Date:
Constructed	1907/01/01
Usage:	Usage Date:
Church	1907/01/01
Owner:	Owner Date:
Stephan G. Stephansson Icelandic Society (c/o Marlene Linneberg)

Architect:	N/A
Builder:	N/A
Craftsman:	N/A
History:	John Strong. Sandstone blocks for church foundation cut and shaped by Mr. Strong, the first carpenter and stone mason in the settlement. John Olsen, Asmundur Christianson, John Hillman, Chris Johanson, Gunlauger Stephenson, Alijon Christvinson, and other local Icelanders donated their time in the construction of the church. 1907 - The Lutheran church of Markerville was built with the help of all of the community and it is still in operation. * * * HR-2269 - MARKERVILLE LUTHERAN CHURCH HISTORICAL CONTEXT: Among the immigrant groups to settle in the Dakota's during the latter 19th century were the Icelanders. Due to severe drought conditions during the mid-1880's however, several of these immigrants decided to seek new horizons in the more northerly climes of western Canada. By this time, the trail between Calgary and Edmonton had become a well used wagon road, and the community at Red Deer Crossing could offer many services to incoming homesteaders. As the district southwest of the Crossing was largely open, appeared fertile, and had just been surveyed, it was recommended by certain Icelandic South Dakotan advance scouts that it offered a good chance for a new life. These people possibly preferred this more hilly and wooded environment to the Dakotas as it was more similar to Iceland, and the Dakota flatlands had not brought them prosperity. They were also intent on mixed, and not just flatland, grain farming, a pursuit more suited to parkland than open prairie. In the summer of 1888, some fifty Icelandic South Dakotans headed north from Calgary, crossed the Red Deer River, and took homesteads off the banks of the Medicine River, mostly to the east. A community was established called Tindastoll after a mountain in Iceland. The following year, another party of Icelanders arrived from South Dakota and settled further north. This party included Stephan Stephansson, who had founded the Icelandic Cultural Society of South Dakota. While in Alberta, he would become recognized as the greatest poet in the Icelandic language since the 13th Century. His concern for his Icelandic heritage was reflected elsewhere in the community, and, in 1892, a literary and debating society was formed, the same year that a school district was established. The women of Tindastoll also formed their own community club called Vonin, meaning "hope." The first president of Vonin was Stephansson's sister, Sigurlaud Kristinsson. For years, social events conducted by the sisters of Vonin were presented from a Lutheran perspective. Indeed, their socials seem to have taken the place of regular church services until 1905, when the Reverend Sjera Peter Hjalmsson arrived from Winnipeg with his wife, Jonina, to establish a Lutheran church as part of the Icelandic Synod of western Canada, headquartered in Winnipeg. Serja had been trained in theology in Copenhagen and Reykjavek. He immediately began to conduct services in the newly constructed Fensela Hall, but strongly urged the members of his congregation to pull together to construct a regular church. Finally, in the spring of 1907, a group of men, including John Olsen, Asmundur Christianson, John Hillman and Chris Johanson, formed a committee and planned to construction of a wood frame church building on NE26 TP36 R2 W5, on land donated by J.M. Johnson. This was in close proximity to the other buildings constituting the community of Markerville, which were also constructed on Johnson's land. Work on the new church began immediately, with sandstone for the foundation being hauled in from the Red Deer River. By the end of the year, the building was completed, with a bell tower and a wooden Celtic cross added the following year. Sjera Hjalmsson continued to serve the Markerville Lutheran Church until 1935, although, in later years, he was blind. He passed away in 1950. All the while, Jonina continued to play the organ, while A. J. Christvinson served as secretary-treasurer to the congregation from 1915 until 1964. As a community, Markerville never became big enough to become incorporated as a village. It was too close to Innisfail and Penhold on the Calgary & Edmonton Railway, and so grain shipment and major shopping for the district settlers took place at either of these two centers. Markerville nonetheless continued to harbour the trappings of Icelandic culture, made stronger by the international reputation of the poet, Stephan Stephansson. Structural evidence of the founding of this community, including the community church, therefore survived, and, together, present a strong element of Icelandic culture in Alberta. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: The historical significance of the Markerville Lutheran Church lies in its provision of structural evidence of the distinctly Icelandic community of Markerville as in was formed at the turn of the 20th century. It is also important in its direct association with Serja and Jonina Hjalmsson, who conducted services until 1935, and Jonina several years after that. * * * Description of Historic Place The Markerville Lutheran Church is small church located in the Hamlet of Markerville. It is rectangular, gable-roofed building measuring approximately twelve metres by seven metres in size. Its exterior walls are clad in wooden drop-siding and the roof is clad in cedar shingles. Four rectangular windows line its east and west elevations. A square bell tower with an eight-sided steeple projects from the front (south) facade. The bell tower features the main entryway and a gothic-arched transom, four gothic-arched louvered openings, two arched windows, a curved wrought iron sign and a circular wooden decoration. A serious hail storm in 2006 smashed the original coloured glass windows on the west elevation. The glass from these windows was collected and used to make stained glass windows for the front of the church. The church is situated on a landscaped lot and lies in close proximity to other historic buildings, including the Markerville Creamery and the Fensala Hall. Design The church retains its original form and massing, square bell tower with eight-sided, flared, wood shingle-clad steeple, the symmetrical design plan, the internal arrangement of nave and sanctuary, pattern of fenestration, original finishes and detailing. The building clearly conveys its association with the community and district. At present, the building is used as a church and recital hall and its original layout remains intact. Exterior - white exterior walls; - square bell tower with eight-sided, flared, wood shingle-clad steeple, decorative brackets and dog-tooth shingle trim centrally-located on and projecting from the front (south) elevation; - Celtic cross surmounting the tower; - four gothic-arched, louvered ventilation openings in the belfry; - two rectangular window openings with gothic arches on the east and west sides of the bell tower; - medium-pitched, wood shingle-clad gable roof; - south-facing front entryway surmounted by a gothic-arched transom of colored glass located in the base of the bell tower; - circular, wooden decorative element on the south side of the bell tower surmounting the main doorway; - fenestration pattern of four rectangular window openings on the east and west elevations; - secondary entrance located on the eastern edge of the rear (north) elevation; - exterior walls clad in wooden drop-siding; - sandstone foundation; - wrought iron "1907" date and arched sign reading "Markerville Lutheran Church" surmounting the front entry. Interior - white interior walls clad in vertically-oriented, v-joint lumber; - barrel-vaulted ceiling clad in horizontally-oriented, white-painted v-joint lumber; - open floor plan of the worship area; - stained wood finishing on the relatively simple altar rail and lectern; - presence of original 1907 organ, donated by the "Vonin" Ladies Aid group; - presence of folding theatre-style seating, acquired second hand from a nearby theatre in the 1940s; - extant original wood strip flooring; - extant original, light gray-painted mill work and wood trim on window and door frames; - stained glass from the remains of storm-destroyed west facing windows used in newly made stained glass windows on the bell tower. Environment The building remains in its original environment on a large corner lot in the Hamlet of Markerville. Vegetation immediately adjacent to the west is much more mature, including large spruce and deciduous trees. The site also retains its grass and carragana perimeter hedge.

Internal

Designation Status:	Designation Date:
Provincial Historic Resource	2009/08/26

Register:

Links

Internet:
Alberta Register of Historic Places:	4665-1352