Title: Alvord Memorial Church of Our Savior Records, 1899-2003

ID: OGLMC1478

Primary Creator: Alvord Memorial Church of Our Saviour (1898-2003)

Extent: 6.5 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 11/17/2003

Subjects: Langdon, North Dakota, Religion - Church Records, Religion - Episcopal Church

Languages: English

The Alvord Memorial Church of Our Saviour Records dates from 1899 to 2003. Included are registers of church services, which document church attendance, and parish registers which include lists of communicants, baptisms, confirmations, marriages, and burials.

Also included are Sunday School records, correspondence, financial information, a scrapbook, hymnals, a bible, and a certificate of consecration. Meeting minutes of the St. James Guild, a women's group, and the Bishop's Committee, which oversaw many decisions made within the church ranging from Sunday School meeting times to building maintenance, are also included.

In 1898, settlers from England and parts of Canada came to the Langdon, North Dakota, area and established an Episcopal mission. It became known as the Mission of the Holy Spirit, and would later become Alvord Memorial Church of Our Saviour. At the time the mission had only ten communicants. In 1900, under the Rev. Edward W. Burleson, a Vicar at the Episcopal Church in Park River, the name of the mission was changed to St. James.

Until 1903 St. James was stationed in a rented building and was served by Park River priests. However, the Missionary District of North Dakota was given a $4,000 gift from Mrs. Edward J. Brown of New York City to build a memorial church for her parents. The mission in Langdon was chosen as the recipient of the gift and construction of the new church building was started later that year. The church was consecrated on January 6, 1904, by the bishop of North Dakota, the Rt. Rev. Cameron Mann. The name was then changed to the Alvord Memorial Church of Our Saviour.

By 1913 there were still only twelve communicants listed. The reason for such slow expansion was the absence of a resident priest. From 1913 through the 1950s there was only one resident minister and he only stayed for two years. The church was mainly served by priests from Park River and Devils Lake. By 1963 the church saw considerable growth, having 50 members consisting of 17 families. The church was eventually deconsecrated on November 15, 2003, one hundred and five years after the mission initially began.

Langdon, North Dakota
Religion - Church Records
Religion - Episcopal Church

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Donna Pettit, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.#2004-2701

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Alvord Memorial Church of Our Savior Records. OGLMC 1478, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in January 2013.