Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church, Ham Lake

Originally built in 1872, the Evangelical Lutheran Church (also known as Our Savior’s Lutheran Church) in Ham Lake has gained several additions, most notably in 1947. In 2020, although the congregation generally meets in another space, the building is still preserved in its original state, and is used for special services throughout the year.

The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church and the cemetery that surrounds it are located in the north-central portion of the city of Ham Lake. Its restrained, late Victorian-style design is typical of churches built in the Upper Midwest during the late nineteenth century.

The congregation hired architect Per August Gustafson to design the building in 1872. It was built on land donated by Johan and Fredrika Magnuson following the deaths of their daughters, Alida and Emilia, from typhoid fever. The Magnusons first buried the two girls at the family’s farm, but later disinterred them and reburied them in the church’s cemetery.

The simple rectangular structure, made of locally logged pinewood, rests upon a stone foundation. Gothic-arched, stained-glass windows provide decoration around the central hall. Initially, this section of the church faced west, but with the help from a team of horses, the congregation later moved it to face north. The altar and pulpit were both built by Per August Gustafson with materials supplied by Reed and Sherwood Sash and Door Company of Anoka.

Although the members completed the church structure, it initially lacked a designated pastor to lead the people who gathered there. Until that time, the congregation relied upon one of the other pastors from the nearby city of Anoka.

In 1891, an enclosed front entryway and bell tower were constructed on the church's front façade. Popular elements of the Victorian style used to build this entryway included exposed stick work and a shingled spire on the bell tower.

A final modification was added in 1947, when the congregation added a one-story, gabled rear wing to provide an extra space for a Sunday School room and sacristy. In 1964, the congregation moved to another facility but kept the structure intact.

In 2020, members use the church for special occasions, including Christmas morning, the Sunday morning before Memorial Day (celebrated as Founders' Day), and Wednesday evenings at 6:30 p.m. throughout the summer. These services, and the building’s upkeep, occur under the guidance of the congregation of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church of East Bethel, which owns the structure. In 1979, the church received recognition on the list of National Register of Historic places due in part to its reflection of the changing architectural styles of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.