Written by Phil Wala
1880 (March 26)
Hennepin Avenue Methodist Episcopal Church has purchased property on the southwest corner of 10th and Hennepin and has moved their Tabernacle building to the rear of the site. They have now made public their plans for the brick church they will erect at that corner (Minneapolis Tribune)
This unbelievably detailed panoramic view of Minneapolis was drawn in 1879, before construction began on the new church, but after the congregation’s first building, the “Tabernacle,” had been moved to the 10th and Hennepin property. After a painstaking examination of the fine details, the site was located on the drawing. It shows the Tabernacle at the rear of the property. The building is accurately depicted down to the number and placement of windows. (Hennepin County Library)
1881 (March 26)
Exactly one year after plans for the new church were announced, construction is well underway. The thin spires atop the towers are now in place, leading to a new nickname for the church. (Minneapolis Tribune)
1891 (March 30)
The Minneapolis Times reports on yesterday’s Easter services at Hennepin Avenue Church, at which Thomas Taylor Drill directed the music, and Dr. Otis Tiffany preached the sermon. A photograph found in the church archives confirms the impressive floral display.
1928 (March 28)
The big news on the society pages of the newspapers is that William Randolph Hearst, Jr. has gotten married in California, and there are two connections to Hennepin Church. The bride is Alma Walker, granddaughter of church charter member T. B. Walker. And officiating at the wedding was former Hennepin pastor, now bishop of California, Rev. Charles Wesley Burns. (Minneapolis Journal)
1936 (April 1)
Hennepin Church’s 60th anniversary was in October 1935, but the milestone wasn’t celebrated until the following March. As part of the celebration, the play, “The Mad Whirl of Yesteryear” was presented following dinner in the social hall on both Sunday (March 31) and Tuesday (April 2) evenings, with over 400 in attendance each night. The woman in the picture at the right is Marietta Savage who, with her husband Marion (eponym of the city of Savage, MN), were members of Fowler Church when they merged with Hennepin Church in 1911 (Minneapolis Journal)
1955 (April 1)
Thirty-seven teenagers, who have learned about the United Nations through Hennepin’s University of Life, leave this morning on a week-long train trip to Washington, DC and New York City. One of the students on that trip is fifteen-year-old Marilyn Jewett, known to the Hennepin community today as Marilyn Newstrum. We recently chatted with Marilyn about that trip. Next week we’ll share some of her memories, along with video from a 16mm film of the trip found in the church archives and recently restored.
1980 (March 28)
Remodeling of the chancel is complete, and the new organ will be dedicated this week. The organ console is now in the center of the platform, and the choir, which has been singing from the east balcony during construction, will now face the congregation. (Minneapolis Star)
