Wooden Shoes – 150th Anniversary of Erland Carlsson’s Ministry
This is a wooden shoe that was marked by Erland Carlsson.
Rev. Erland Carlsson was sent by the Swedish State Lutheran Church to “minister to the Swedes in the wilderness and organize congregations as needed.” Rev. Carlsson was, at that time, in the Chicago area and the “wilderness” was anything west of Chicago.
Rev. Carlsson traveled to Minnesota Territory and organized First Lutheran Church in the Swede Hollow community of St. Paul on May 6, 1854. He then traveled to the Chisago Lake area and organized Chisago Lakes Lutheran Church in Center City on May 12, 1854.
He then walked with Daniel Nilsson to organize the Marine Country Church in Scandia (now called Elim Lutheran Church) on May 19, 1854.
These wooden shoes were in honor of the 150th anniversary of his travels to Minnesota and presented to Gammelgarden by the choir from his hometown congregation.
