The history of St. Luke’s Lutheran Church goes back to preliminary meetings held at the home of Brookside resident Albert Kruse. The group was an offshoot of Zion Lutheran Church in Hopkins. The first services were held on September 19, 1926. A few families from Hopkins and about four families from Park attended. Services were held at Brookside School starting November 7, 1926, and the church was known as the First Lutheran Church of Brookside until it became St. Luke’s in 1935.
The original chapel was built in 1937. Albert Kruse built the lectern, baptismal font, pulpit, and altar. The original chapel was enlarged in 1950
A new Church was built in 1956.
Photos above and below from 1956 – Minnesota Historical Society
The original Chapel was demolished on July 30, 1964, and the education building was added in 1965.
Pastors from Hopkins presided until Reverend Herbert F. Bohlmann became the full-time in 1938-1945. Reverend Oscar A. Dressel then served as pastor from 1945 to 1975. The parsonage next door was built in 1945.
Membership totaled 1,150 in 1961, but with the passing of the baby boom, those numbers dwindled over the years. Because of the low attendance the church was sold to another group. The proceeds were used to pay off debts and the balance went back to the synod.
1996 Photo by Emory Anderson