Bethel Lutheran Church

The church stands on what was the Ericsdahl Ranch, one of the three SMS ranches laid out in 1882, 50,000 acres nine miles east of the future Stamford. The Handbook of Texas says it was among the first ranches in that part of Texas to be fenced. Swenson's nephew Alfred Dyer, the first manager, stocked it with Durham shorthorns and Hereford crosses from Indiana and horses of Spanish and Arabian stock from Williamson County. After the Swensons laid out Stamford in 1899, many immigrant cotton farmers bought land from them.

What the plaque says

Situated on ranch land of family of S. M. Swenson, banker who in 1850s underwrote Swedish migration to Texas. Church forms center for Ericksdahl community, founded 1905 by Swedes formerly living near Austin. Visiting pastors L. J. Sundquist and J. A. Stamline held first church service in the N. M. Segerstrom home in February 1905; congregation organized January 25, 1906. Charter members: Elias Bjorn, the J. P. Hokanson Family, Algot Johnson, John Lunn family, Oscar Magnuson, Theodore Pearson, John Peterson, the Segerstrom family, C. G. Seth family, Eric Seth, A. J. Swenson family, Mr. and Mrs. Bud Swenson. The first sanctuary was built in 1907. First resident pastors: the Rev. Theodore Seashore (1908-12), the Rev. Eric Swanson (1912-13), the Rev. Carl Henderson (1914-19). Dr. Hugo B. Haterius (pastor 1919-68) served 27 years as president of the Texas Conference of the Augustana Lutheran Church of America. As focus for community, church has recorded such lay events as opening of first school and formation of brass band, 1908; organization of local telephone company, 1917; construction of "Swede" dam, 1922-24; the first cotton gin, 1924; opening of local oil field (with 3 producing wells, 1938-65, on church property). Pastor since 1968: the Rev. Stanley D. Jurgenson. (1971)

Where it stands

Worth the stop nearby

• Fort Phantom Hill — 18 mi
  A field of lone stone chimneys north of Abilene, left by the fire after the Army left in 1854, later a stage stop and a buffalo-hide town of more than 500 people.
• Old Jail Art Center — 24 mi
  An art museum in Albany's 1878 stone jail, where the masons carved their initials to be sure of pay, now holding Chinese tomb figures and works by Picasso and Klee.
• Fort Griffin State Historic Site — 25 mi
  The ruins of an 1867 cavalry post on a plateau above the Clear Fork of the Brazos, judged unfit for habitation and used nine more years, now home to the official state longhorn herd.

More markers nearby

• Spring Creek Cemetery — 5.9 mi
• Big Country Baptist Assembly — 7.2 mi
• Swenson Land and Cattle Company Headquarters — 9.3 mi
• Stamford — 9.8 mi