St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church

Duane's take

Here's how the official marker tells it, and I'll do my best to do it justice. German immigrants had been putting down roots in Washington County since the 1840s, and by 1855 they'd gathered enough faithful in the community of Berlin to form the first German Lutheran congregation in the area. That seed kept growing.

By 1890, the German Lutheran community in Brenham was ready to organize their own congregation right there in town — first known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Church — and they called The Reverend Gottlieb Langner to serve as pastor. Now, they didn't have a sanctuary of their own just yet, so they held worship services in the local Presbyterian church. Neighborly arrangement.

But they got their Lutheran sanctuary built in 1891, and you'd think that would be the end of the struggle. You would think. Then September 1900 arrived.

That same storm that devastated Galveston and the Texas Gulf Coast — one of the most catastrophic events in the history of this state — came right through and destroyed that sanctuary. Gone. But here is where you learn something about a congregation.

Before that year was even out, they laid the cornerstone for a new structure. The storm hadn't finished echoing and they were already building again. Worship services during all of this had been conducted exclusively in the German language, a practice that continued until 1902.

Then in 1915, the congregation made it official and changed their name to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church. Growth kept coming, and the membership eventually hired Houston architect Alfred C.

Finn to design a new sanctuary, which was dedicated at this very site in 1925. That building was later enlarged and remodeled as the years and the congregation demanded. From that first gathering in Berlin in 1855 to the sanctuary standing here today, St.

Paul's has stayed woven into the civic and charitable life of this community. Some things, it turns out, a storm just cannot take.

What the marker says

German immigrants began settling in Washington County in the 1840s. The first German Lutheran congregation began in 1855 in the community of Berlin. The growing German Lutheran community in Brenham organized this congregation, first known as the German Evangelical Lutheran Church, in 1890 and called The Rev. Gottlieb Langner to serve as pastor. Worship services were held in the local Presbyterian church until a Lutheran sanctuary was built in 1891. It was destroyed in the September 1900 storm which also devastated Galveston and the Texas Gulf Coast. By the end of the year, however, the cornerstone was laid for a new structure. Worship services were conducted exclusively in the German language until 1902. The name of the congregation officially was changed to St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church in 1915. Continued growth led to the need for larger facilities, and the membership hired Houston architect Alfred C. Finn to design a new sanctuary which was dedicated at this site in 1925. It later was enlarged and remodeled. Throughout its history, this church has been involved in civic activities and charitable endeavors. It remains an integral part of the community.