This photo shows the Maertin Lutheran Church, a white wooden church with Gothic-style arched windows and a tall steeple topped with a cross. Built in 1925, the church features classic rural prairie architecture with clapboard siding, a steep gabled roof, and a central entrance. A sign in front identifies it as Martin Lutheran Church, highlighting its continued role as a place of worship in the local community.

Before rails were laid and trails were dug in Dakota Territory, people in faraway lands heard of a country of great opportunity, where land was plentiful and ownership a possibility. They became restless in their homelands and set their sights on America. Many were Germans from Russia who settled in what would become south central North Dakota.

The Germans arrived in Dakota Territory following a perilous journey, across endless miles of a tumultuous sea followed by weeks of bouncing across the country. They were a faithful bunch and, despite the hardships they faced day in and day out, they yearned for a church. In 1896, several families started having church services in German in their homes. Two years later, an acre of land was set aside for a cemetery and a church three miles north of present-day Fredonia.

St. Johannes Church was incorporated on July 3, 1901 under the leadership of Gottlieb Janke, Friedrich Geiszler, and Friedrich Wolf. A parsonage and school were built the following year. In 1903, construction began on the church building, which was completed over time as funds became available.

By 1917, a group of citizens in neighboring Fredonia started hosting church services in their homes before moving worship to the Fredonia Public School. The St. Johannes Church School was moved to town in 1918 as land had already been donated for a church, parsonage, and the school. In the winter of 1925, the congregation voted to build a church, complete with a seventy-foot steeple. The building was proudly dedicated on June 13, 1926. Three years later, a meeting was held between St. Johannes Church and Martin Luther Church to discuss consolidation. While some supported joining the congregations, others chose not to join with Martin Luther and established their own St. Johannes congregation. They moved a church building to a plot of land and formed their own cemetery.

Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, services were held at Martin Luther Church in both English and German. In 1960, German services became a thing of the past as they were unable to hire a pastor who could preach in both languages. Today, Martin Luther Church still holds a Christmas Eve service and has for as long as anyone can remember. Congregants celebrate by singing German Christmas Carols, including Stille Nacht, remembering not only the reason for the season, but also their heritage as well. The Martin Luther Choir continued to sing until the early 2000’s They were always a favorite to hear as they had an outstanding bass section along with the other talented choir members. They sang for many special services and funerals. One of the most requested songs was Gott Ist die Liebe.