Skogdalen Congregation 1898-1979

by Mrs. Leonard Olstad

Skogdalen in the early years

On March twenty-ninth, eighteen hundred and ninety eight, a group of Norwegian pioneers from Timber Coulee and surrounding ridges, met at what is now the Skogdalen Parish Hall for the purpose of organizing their own neighborhood church. Having previously journeying either to Coon Valley, Westby or Cashton to attend church services in days when roads were mediocre at best and horse and buggy was the only means of travel, they felt the need of a place where they could worship God within their own neighborhood, and so on that day, seventy one years ago, a congregation was born. The church built by these sturdy pioneers, nestled in this peaceful valley, stands an awesome monument to these hardworking men and women with the love of God in their hearts. Many of the present day members are grandsons and granddaughters of the charter members of the congregation.

Pastor Erik Jensen, who had recently resigned his pastorate at Coon Valley agreed to serve the congregation for one year and their first services were held in what is now the parish hall. On October 3 of that same year, a meeting was held to appoint a building committee for the purpose of building a church.

On February 7, 1899, Reverend A.H. Eikarud accepted a call to serve the congregation and served them faithfully for fifteen years, at which time he desired to return to his native Norway.

Land for the church was donated by John Baglein, and by the summer of 1900, the church was completed at the cost of $1,200.00, and much hard work from the members of the small congregation.

Evelyn Larson drawing for a Westby Times Christmas issue

The church, built entirely of stone quarried within a short distance of the church site, measures thirty by fifty feet with an eighty-five foot steeple.

Not to be outdone by the men of the congregation, the women took it upon themselves to collect money with which to buy an organ and baptismal font. Undoubtedly these sturdy women trod many a mile to reach their goal, for money was a scare commodity among the pioneers, as it testified to be the fact that the largest donation they received was twenty-five cents. However, perseverance was plentiful, and we can surely imagine the joy these first women of our church felt when the first organist, Clara Slette, took her place at the organ on dedication day. The organ, of course, has been replaced by a beautiful new electric one, but the baptismal font is the original one.

On September 30, 1900, the church was dedicated. What a joyous day this must have been at Skogdalen! One need only to close ones eyes and imagine the beauty of the hillsides around the church on that fall day, when a crowd of twelve hundred gathered to witness this glorious occasion. Among the pastors attending were the Reverends Carl Scheie, Johannes Aasheim, C.B. Bestul, and H. Halvorsen. The Reverend Halvorsen was then president of the eastern synodical district and preached the dedicatory sermon, based on Jeremiah 17:12. The cornerstone was laid by Pastor Halvorsen, it contains the congregation history and constitution, the current issues of “Kirketidende” and “Barneblad”, the official news organs of the Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran church of America. In the afternoon, a combined choir of several hundred voices, made up of young people from as far away as Brush Creek and Fish Creek raised their voices in song.

In 1914, following Reverend Eikaruds resignation, Pastor Sovde, who was then serving the Coon Valley parish agreed to serve the Skogdalen congregation as well. How dedicated in their service to God, these early pastors must have been! Pastor Sovde who had three churches in Coon Valley parish, now added a fourth. True, he did not hold service in every church each Sunday, but he must have traversed many miles from 1914 to 1921, as did Reverend O.J. Hyland who served the same four churches from 1921 to 1931.

Skogdalen Cemetery

In 1921, the women of the church acquired the fist carpeting for the church. On June 12, 1927, the Young People Luther League was organized.

In 1931, following Reverend Hylland’s resignation, Reverend Noriss Olson, who was then serving a pastorate at Cashton, accepted a call to serve Skogdalen.

Until 1937, all services at Skogdalen had been conducted entirely in the Norwegian language, but at their annual meeting that year it was voted to have half of the service in Norwegian and half in English, this custom was continued into the nineteen forties, when the Norwegian services were discontinued.

On June 9, 1943, Pastor Olson tendered his resignation, to accept a call at Menomonie, Wisconsin. Shortly thereafter, a special meeting was held to appoint a call committee, and it was at this meeting that the congregation voted to join with Our Savior’s Congregation at Westby to be served by the same pastor. Dr. Kildahl served as interim pastor during this time. In 1945, Reverend Jacob Andreason accepted the call to Our Savior’s and Skogdalen congregations. During his stay in our congregation, the Sunday School was organized, with Mrs. Willie Overhagen as its first superintendent. Following Reverend Andreason’s resignation in August, 1950, Reverend J. Masted served as interim pastor. In 1951, Reverend J.O. Paulsrud accepted a call to our congregation, he and his devoted wife, Aida, spent eleven years laboring for the Lord in our midst.

Skogdalen today

Following Reverend Paulsrud’s resignation in 1966, Reverend Walter O, Larson accepted the call to our congregation, and we look forward to many years of fellowship with him and Edna Larson.

Though seventy-one years have passed since its beginning, the purpose of Skogdalen is still the same—furthering God’s Kingdom, and the words that Reverend Scheie spoke on that long ago day of the dedication are as true today as they were then, “The greater the sacrifices that we must make for a cause, the more cherished are the fruits that we gather.”

Skogdalen’s membership today (1970) is 122 members, 99 of which are confirmed members.