Written by Phil Wala
1911 (January 28)
T. B. Walker transfers ownership of his property at Lyndale and Groveland Avenues to Hennepin Avenue Church. The property is valued at $50,000, of which Walker himself will contribute $40,000.

1912 (January 26)
Hennepin Avenue Church has sold its old church site at 10th and Hennepin to automobile dealer Harry Pence.

1924 (January 25)
To raise money for missions, Hennepin Church women who belong to the Home Missionary Society keep “mite boxes” in which they deposit coins throughout the year. At the end of the year, they open those boxes and use the collected funds to support a home missions project.
The hostess for this mite box ceremony was Marietta Savage who, along with her late husband Marion, had been members of Fowler Methodist Church before it merged with Hennepin Church in 1911. Marion Savage was famous as the owner of record-breaking harness horse Dan Patch, and as the namesake of the city of Savage. Dan Patch died on July 11, 1916, and Marion Savage died the next day. (Minneapolis Journal, MN Historical Society)
Trivia Questions:
- Each year, millions of people walk down a street named for Dan Patch. Where is Dan Patch Avenue located?
- A musical number in a popular Broadway show mentions Dan Patch. What show is it, and what’s the name of the number?

1924 (January 27)
Hennepin Avenue Church has installed floodlights, and the Minneapolis Tribune is enamored of the romantic glow they add to a dark January evening.

1982 (January 24)
Rev. Verda Aegerter came to Hennepin Church in 1967 as a deaconess, became an associate pastor in 1974, and was ordained as an elder in 1978. She remained on staff until her retirement in 1991, and continued to be an active member of the church until her death in 2013. Verda is fondly remembered by all who knew her during the 46 years she was a part of this congregation.
In January 1982, Verda preached a sermon from the Book of Jonah. Attendance may have been light that day, when you consider the following table, and realize that Verda was preaching on January 24, 1982.

Yes, in the four days leading up to this sermon, the all-time record for biggest Twin Cities snowfalls was broken – TWICE!. So if you were still digging out that day and didn’t make it to church – or if you just want to hear Verda’s wise and comforting voice one more time – click play below to hear her message entitled, “Time Fulfilled.”
