TX-15486 St. Martins Evangelical Lutheran Church

Marker text: ST. MARTIN'S EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH

This property, once situated just outside capitol square at 106 East Peach Street (Later 13th), was the original location of the German Evangelical Lutheran Church (ÒDie Deutsche Evangelish Lutherische KircheÓ). Pastor Henry Merz (1842-1928), a missionary for the first Evangelical Lutheran Synod in Texas, organized the congregation in 1883 with 20 German families. They worshiped first in homes or stores and later borrowed the facilities of the First Presbyterian and Gethsemane Lutheran Churches. The congregation acquired this lot in 1884. The cornerstone for the first church building was laid on December 21, 1884, and the new structure was dedicated with formal ceremonies on April 26, 1885. Designed in a modified Gothic style, the brick church building measured 36 feet by 58 feet and had a truncated bell tower.

In 1929 St. MartinÕs congregation erected a more spacious sanctuary at 1400 Congress, and the original church building was converted into state offices. In 1959, as the capitol complex expanded, both churches were razed and 13th Street was closed to make way for state office buildings. St. MartinÕs moved to new facilities at 606 West 15th Street.