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Who knows how these conversations start? At one point during Mother’s Birthday Season celebration, Brother Mark insisted that Friend Robin Hirsch had been to the Eisleben Lutheran Church in Scott City. I have no idea, nor did Robin, why this would have occurred, but we were soon loaded in the van and headed to Scott City. Mother heard the jingling of the car keys, so she, of course, was on board.
Robin wasn’t ready to concede that she had ever been there before, but she unfolded the extra joint in her arm to document that she and Mark had been there this time. I thought only teenage girls had that extra joint, but it must be a universal female characteristic. Click on any photo to make it larger.
Church has interesting steeple
The church had an unusual steeple and bell tower. I couldn’t tell from the ground if it was steel or some other material.
Church built in 1913
Above the front door is a stone that reads
Ev. Luth. Eisleben
Kirche
Gebaut – 1913
That translates to Evangelical Lutheran Church Built 1913.
There’s not much information on the web about the church. Wikipedia says that the church dates back to 1851.
Past Buried May 1, 2011
There is a curious marker at the foot of a newly-planted tree alongside the main sidewalk. “The Past Buried May 1, 2011,” it reads. It would be interesting to know what that means.
Other Scott City stories
Scott City was never my stomping grounds. Here are some stories I’ve done.
Scott City I-55 intersection under construction
A Santa Claus who must have been in a witness protection program
While we were stumbling around, we headed out a road that took us to the SEMO Port where we shot what looked like monster Pick-Up Sticks.
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If this is the place I’m remembering, they have an old, old, cemetery behind the church. Some of the Froemsdorf family have ties with this church–found this church when I was researching the family tree several years ago.
There’s an old cemetery across the street from the church on the east side.
It would have been even better defined if all of the lights had been on. I think only one of the steeple lights was burning.
Ken,
My friend Shirley Young is writing the History of this church at this time. If you would like to find out more, write me off line and I will give her you e-mail address.
I do know this is the home church of some of my Sanders cousins.
Catherine
I asked Dorothy. my ninety year-old neighbor who is a member of this church, about the marker. She believes they buried another time capsule after opening one that had been buried years ago.
…another place I have never been, the church that is…Scott City was way out of the range of any self respecting Cape Girardeauan. Than being said, the area is very nice with hills and the river is right there. The road to Commerce and the winery is a great ride too…you should take your mom for drink of Missouri’s best and maybe a little lunch at the winery. a very nice way to spend a afternoon. Let us know a littl emore of the history of this place if you can.
My mother, Gladys Smith, has been of that church her whole life. She is the former secretary. She is also the official historian of Eisleben. The church takes it name from the German town of Eisleben, which is the city in which Martin Luther was born and died. Contact me by email and I will put you in contact with her if you like.
I’m pretty sure we met the day that you visited and took that pic at the top and asked me about the steeple. That’s fun that I run across your article these few months later. God’s blessings to you.
My memory fades in and out, but I don’t think we talked with anyone that day. You may have met another photographer. That means you might stumble across his pictures some day just like you did mine.
If we’d have met you, we would more likely have quizzed you about the curious stone marker.
I grew up on that hill. I lived there from age 6 to 22. My Dad was pastor of Eisleben Lutheran from 1940n to 1962, This is a wonderful church that shows God’s forgiveness is of all.