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The Vasa Order of America was founded on September 18, 1896 in New Haven, Connecticut by Swedish immigrants on the principles of generosity, truth, and unity.

Pacific Northwest Lodge no. 13 was organized August 11, 1912 in Seattle, Washington by E.L Gissler from Connecticut. The nine local lodges represented were Nordstjarnan no. 145 of Spokane, Washington; Nobel no. 184 of Portland, Oregon; Norrskenet no. 189 of Hoquiam, Washington; Klippan no. 228 of Seattle, Washington; Forgat Mig Ej (later changed to Nornan no. 413) of Vancouver, B.C.; Trofast no. 231 of Everett, Washington; Norden no. 233 of Tacoma, Washington; Svea no. 234 of Bellingham, Washington; and Astor no. 215 of Astoria, Oregon. During that time District Lodge conventions were established as an annual event, but at the Spokane convention of 1920 it was changed in favor of a biennial affair in the interest of economy for both district and local lodges.

The Vasa Order of America is the largest Swedish-American cultural fraternal organization for families of Scandinavian descent in the United States of America. The order consists of 19 district lodges and several hundred local lodges throughout the U.S., Canada, and Sweden. The organization offers Scandinavian cultural and heritage programs, Swedish language study, children and youth clubs, scholarships and student loans, and many cultural activities for its members.

The Riverton Heights Lutheran Church was organized as a Mission of the American Lutheran Church on October 2, 1945. The Agreement of Association with the state of Washington was signed on October 17, 1945 by Pastor Phillip Rohrbacher, Jeanne Axtell, Kenneth Hove, Arthur Theimer, Gus Magnuson, M. E. Baker, and Malinda Spanier. The lot where the church was built was purchased for $1,350. The deed was dated October 30, 1945.

Church services, weddings, baptisms, funerals, and Sunday School were conducted in the basement of the Parsonage until the Chapel was dedicated on April 13, 1947. The Parsonage continued to serve portions of the Sunday School for several years. Ground breaking ceremonies for construction of the Parish Education Building were held on October 26, 1958. On April 24, 1960, the building was dedicated and has since fulfilled its multiple functions admirably. Recognizing our continuing need for additional facilities, a program for construction of a new Sanctuary and additional classrooms was begun in October 1966. Ground breaking took place on September 9, 1973. The new Sanctuary was dedicated on June 8, 1975.

During the church’s time many pastors served. Philip Rohrbacher, the founding pastor, served from 1945 to 1948. He was followed by Ernest Philippi from 1948 to 1952, Erich Knorr from 1952 to 1953 and February through June 1954, Vernon Kraxberger from 1953 to 1954, Leonard Kutz from 1954 to 1968, Richard Bersie from 1968 to 1995, Norma Borgford from 1995 to 1996, and Joyce Miller from 1996 to 1998, in which the church closed due to lack of funds.

• From the commemorative booklet from the church’s closing worship

Cross of Christ in Vancouver, WA began its ministry in 1967. They met in the Minnehaha School, and later moved to the Minnehaha Grange Hall. The congregations was dissolved on August 9, 1970.

Living Branch Lutheran Church began as a preaching point in 1992. It became a worshiping community in 1996. In 2000 it became a developing congregation. On December 14, 2008 they voted to disband the congregation.

St Paul’s Danish Evangelical Lutheran Church was organized June 1891 when Pastor Jens Jensen Mylund came to take charges of the field. From 1891-1897 the congregation held their services at 2308 South G Street, Tacoma. The congregation moved to 1529 South Tacoma Ave in 1898. In 1902 they built a church on L St., and in January 1905 the congregation was incorporated. In 1905 the parsonage was finished. The congregation sold their building December of 1961, and merged with Grace Lutheran in January of 1962.

• From the history in the parish registry

Gethsemane Lutheran was formed through a merger of two congregations, Grace Lutheran and St. Paul Lutheran.

Grace Lutheran had its beginnings in 1923 as an interdenominational Sunday school. In 1924, when the church became Lutheran, they erected their facility at 73rd and Park.

St. Paul Lutheran was established in 1891 by Rev. J.J. Mylund, who conducted services in a rented building which served as both church and parsonage. In 1904 a facility was built at 13th and L Streets.

With the merger of the congregations in 1962 under Reverend Carl Laursen, the combined group met in the facilities of Grace Lutheran. A new facility was dedicated on February 16, 1964, and several years later and educational wing was completed. In 1998, the congregation merged with Bethel & Mt Zion of Tacoma, Washington, becoming United Lutheran Church.

The Mount Zion congregation was organized in 1915 by the Lutheran Free Church. It was an outgrowth of Olivet in Tacoma. It first met in a chapel located on 56th and I, and in 1918 the congregation purchased property and erected a building at 54th and Thompson. In 1925, a vacated Methodist church was purchased at 59th and Thompson for $2000.

After a period of study and planning for future needs in 1957, a building site was purchased near the old church. The building was begun in 1961 and completed on October 7, 1962. The name was changed to Mount Zion Lutheran church in 1960 to avoid conflict with another Zion Lutheran in Tacoma. In 1998 Mt Zion merged with Gethsemane and Bethel of Tacoma becoming United Lutheran Church.

Tenino Community Lutheran Church started as a preaching point in 1993, and on May 18, 1997 they voted to become a congregation in the ELCA, but they were never able to keep the congregation going, and disbanded in 1999.

Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church had its beginning in the year 1923 as an inter-denominal Sunday School. The people of its congregation met in three different homes during those early days and their first pastor was Reverend Arthur Shaffer. In 1924 Reverend Claude Pellet took over and under his leadership this group became a Lutheran Church. Reverend Pellet saw Grace Lutheran established at its present site at 73rd and Park and a building erected before turning the reins over to Reverend H.N. Svinth in June of 1930, who served for 31 years.

The 1930’s were depression years and this small congregation put up a terrifically hard struggle to keep the doors of Grace Church open. Their work was rewarded, however, as the following years brought more prosperous times and a larger congregation. In 1955 a parsonage was built on the grounds behind the church.

When the Northern Pacific Railway Company built their Northwest terminus repair shops in south Tacoma in 1892, there were a lot of Scandinavians among these who worked there. A group of families decided that a Norwegian church was needed, and established it in 1902 under the direction of pastors in the area. The church was organized with assistance from the Home Missions. Ground was purchased and a basement built where services were held for a number of years beginning in 1908. In 1917, the English language was introduced for services, supplanting Norwegian. The church debt was paid and the mortgage burned in May of 1927. Groundbreaking for the present church was held and the new sanctuary was dedicated on the 50th anniversary of the congregation, November 18, 1956.

October 4, 1971 there was a fire at Hope Lutheran Church caused by arson. A statue of Jesus brought over from the original building was destroyed along with many records, and other artifacts. The building was remodeled to repair the damage caused by the fire.

The congregation dissolved in 2014. Their last service was March 9, 2014.