| Additional Information: | THe following information is from the 2006-07 Historical & Architectural Survey of West Allis completed by Heritage Research, Ltd.
This Lannon stone-sheathed, Neo-Gothic style church complex is comprised of the 1948-1949 church proper (at the west end of the block) and a 1957 school addition (east end of block). The primary church entrance is located at the base of the corner tower and consists of a wooden double-door entry set within a pointed-arch opening. Windows throughout the remainder of the tower are pointed-arch and rectangular openings, as are those throughout the remainder of the structure. A gabled parapet wall faces S. 87th Street, while a similar but smaller gabled endwall is located along W. Becher Street. Simple stone buttresses with stone caps accent all endwalls and the church tower.
Designed by architect Hugo Logemann, this church was built for the Mount Hope Lutheran congregation between 1948 and 1949, with dedication services being held on 23 October 1949. The Mount Hope congregation was officially organized as a mission and was named the Mount Hope English Evangelical Lutheran Church on 5 February 1925 at the Town of Greenfield home of Henry Bourdo. However, the congregation truly began in the fall of 1924 when Miss Helen Olsen, principal of Fairview School, recognized that a number of the school's Lutheran children had no religious classes to attend. As a result, a Sunday School was formed and the children met in various homes. On 7 June 1925, a frame chapel was completed at the corner of S. 69th Street and Lincoln Avenue and had a seating capacity of 150. The congregation was affiliated with the Norwegian Lutheran Synod.
In 1927, the Mission Board determined that the location was not favorable for expansion and moved their chapel to 2034 S. 81st Street and subsequently enlarged the building; a steeple was added in 1934. On the tenth anniversary of the church's founding, it became self-supporting and just four years later (in 1939), it was necessary to hold two Sunday services. In 1938, a campaign was launched to pay their debt and to build a larger church. Ten years later construction began on the new, $210,000.00, 750-seat facility now located on W. Becher Street, between S. 86th & S. 87th streets. Hugo Logemann was chosen as the architect and church member A. Guenther served as building contractor (See Chapter 9 of the West Allis historical resource survey for biographical information on Guenther). In an effort to save money, all interior painting was done by church members. In another fund conservation effort, the tower was not completed as specified in the plans and, to this day, has not been completed. Dedication of the stained-glass windows occurred on 24 October 1954. ground breaking of the Education-Youth Wing designed by the firm of Schutte, Phillips & Mochon, occurred on 22 September 1957, while dedication occurred on 16 November 1958. Permits indicated that an elevator was added in 1983 and the interior was redecorated in 2002. The congregation celebrated their 75th Anniversary in 2000. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Original permit for 8633 W. Becher Street, dated 19 April 1948, est. cost $180,000.00, A Guenther & Sons, contractor; "Artist's Drawing of Proposed Mt. Hope Lutheran Church," illustration and caption, and "Mt. Hope Church Plans New Lannon Stone Edifice at S. 87th and W. Becher Sts.," 15 May 1948; "Mt. Hope Crowns Quarter Century of Service with New Church," clipping from The Milwaukee Lutheran, 1950; "Mt. Hope Lutheran, Tenth Anniversary," booklet prepared by the Mt. Hope Lutheran Church members, circa 1935, page 9, 11; "Celebrating 75 Years, 1925, 2000," Mt. Hope Lutheran Church Directory, Anniversary Edition, Prepared by the church, 2000; All church materials on file at the WAHS.
Permit for school addition, dated 23 September 1957, est. cost $185,000.00; Alterations and additions (including elevator addition), dated 23 August 1983, designed by William Wenzler & Associates, est. cost $202,000, contractor A. Guenther & Sons; Interior alterations, dated 10 September 2002, est. cost $290,000.00.
"Ground Breaking Ceremony Scheduled at Mount Hope," The West Allis Star, 19 September 1957. |
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