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The Olsen family relocated from Detroit, Michigan to Tacoma, Washington in 1947. Dr. Robert Olsen joined the faculty of Pacific Lutheran College that year as a Professor of Chemistry and would continue in this role until 1976. He and wife Josephine ("Jo") Olsen and sons Richard ("Dick"), Robert Jr. ("Bob"), James ("Jim"), and Paul moved into a College-owned house located at 502 S. 124th Street. In Tacoma, the family expanded to include Ruth in 1951 and Timothy in 1953. Four members of the Olsen family are Pacific Lutheran University alumni: Dick Olsen (Class of 1959), Bob Jr. (Class of 1963), Jim Olsen (Class of 1963), and Paul Olsen (Class of 1967).

Ludvig C. (L.C.) Foss (1858-1943)

Born in Romerike, Norway in 1858, L.C. Foss immigrated to Wisconsin in 1880. He had graduated from Akers Teachers Seminary in 1880, and after learning English and attending River Falls Normal School in Wisconsin Foss taught in parochial and public schools in Black River Falls and Eau Claire, Wisconsin from 1882-85. In 1885 he married Ida P. Hanson in Eau Claire. Foss attended Luther Theological Seminary from 1888-1891, and upon graduation received a call to serve as a missionary in Washington and Oregon. The family moved to Fairhaven, near Bellingham, and Foss ministered to Norwegian communities in the Northwest, including some in British Columbia. This involved extensive travel as he walked, rode his horse, and swam to fulfill his many duties. Ida Foss remained in Bellingham with their family, which would grow to include seven daughters and two sons.

In 1894 Foss accepted a call to serve as pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Stanwood, WA, and then of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Everett, WA from 1903-12. In 1912 the Foss family moved to Seattle.

L.C. Foss was present at the groundbreaking of Pacific Lutheran University, and served on the Pacific Lutheran Academy Board of Trustees from 1903-04 and 1906-12, and on the Board of Visitors from 1912-15. In addition, several of his children attended Pacific Lutheran Academy. Carl went to the Academy from 1904-08, Jennie graduated from the stenographic course in 1911, Halfdan attended from 1914-15, Clara studied music during 1914-15, and Magda went to PLC in 1922-23.

In addition to ministering to congregations, Foss became Vice-President of the Pacific District of the Norwegian Synod from 1895-1900 before serving as President from 1900-17. After the 1917 merger that created the Norwegian Lutheran Church of America, Foss was elected President, serving until 1924 when he resigned to work as a city missionary in Seattle. Foss held this position until 1937, as well as being pastor at the Sunset Home in Seattle. In 1935 Foss was awarded an honorary doctorate by Luther College, and from 1937-39 he served a Port Madison congregation. In addition, during this time he continued to preach at the Sunset Home and worked as an interim pastor at Prince Rupert, British Columbia. L.C. Foss died on March 26, 1943.

Carl L. Foss (1886-1976)

Carl was born in 1886 in Eau Claire, WI to L.C. and Ida Foss. He attended schools in Stanwood and Everett, WA before studying at Pacific Lutheran Academy from 1904-08 and graduating from Luther College in 1912. Carl Foss graduated from Luther Theological Seminary in 1915 and was called to serve as pastor of Grace Lutheran Church in San Francisco. In 1917 he and Ella Caroline Tvete (1889-1980) were married.

During World War I he worked as a chaplain in the Army stationed in Allery, France. From 1920-21 Carl Foss was a pastor of Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Bremerton, WA, and of Trinity Lutheran Church in Tacoma from 1921-22, when he also taught bible and French at Pacific Lutheran College. Carl studied at the University of Washington from 1923-26 in addition to serving as pastor of Phinney Ridge Lutheran Church in Seattle from 1924-27. He was president of Spokane College from 1926 until its closing in 1929. From 1929-31 Carl returned to Pacific Lutheran College to work as a field agent. He worked as pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Silverton, OR from 1931-35, and became a chaplain for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Montana during the 1930s. After the outbreak of World War II, Carl served as chaplain in United States Army hospitals in Abilene and El Paso, TX. He continued to work in veterans hospitals at Fort Harrison, MT until 1951 and Seattle, WA from 1951-56 when he retired at age 70. Carl died in Tacoma March 28, 1976.

Halfdan L. Foss (1894-1969)

Halfdan was born in 1894 in South Bellingham, WA, the fourth child of L.C. and Ida Foss. He attended schools in Everett and Seattle before studying at Pacific Lutheran Academy during 1914-15. Although he left school in 1915 to work in an Alaska gold mine and then as a boiler maker in San Franci-sco, he returned to enter Luther Theological Seminary in 1916. Halfdan Foss and Elise Helen Iverson were married in 1919.

After his 1919 ordination, Halfdan served in parishes in Bellingham, Ferndale and Custer, WA until 1927, when he went to Silverton, OR to work as pastor at Trinity Lutheran Church. In 1931 Halfdan Foss was elected president of the Pacific District of the ELC, serving from 1931-64 before working as president of the North Pacific District of the ALC from 1960-64.

In addition to his responsibilities as district president, Halfdan Foss served as chairperson of the Pacific Lutheran University Board of Trustees from 1942 to 1964. Foss received an honorary Doctor of Laws from PLC in 1957.

Foss Family

Jennie Foss Michelson taught school in Port Madison for several years. Clara Foss Fixen and Elise Iverson Foss, Halfdan's wife, were active in the Pacific District Women's Missionary Federation. The other Foss sisters were Ida Foss Johnson, Agnes Foss Hellickson, Margaret Foss Syre, Magda Foss, and Lillian Foss.

Oscar A. Tingelstad

Some documents and photos from Oscar and Alfield Tingelstad were found in the Foss collection. Ella Tvete Foss, wife of Carl Foss, and Alfield Tvete Tingelstad, wife of Oscar Tingelstad, were sisters. Photos from the Tvete family from Arlington, WA are also included.

In 1896, James Henry Holden made his first claim on the area which would later become Holden Village. However, due to the expense and difficulty involved in transporting copper from the isolated mine, the operation did not begin its full productivity until 1937. By 1938 the mine had become successful and processed 2,000 pounds of copper ore daily.

The Howe Sound Company built a town site on the north side of Railroad Creek soon after the mine began to thrive. The town site consisted of a number of dormitories, a gymnasium, bowling alley, mess hall, school, and hospital, among other things. West of the town site was a patch of small houses intended for miners and their families. The Holden Mine and its town site flourished for many years despite the isolation. However, after World War II the price of metal fell and the resources of the mine began to diminish. The mine was closed in 1957.

With the closing of the mine in 1957, the Howe Sound Company sought a buyer for the Holden Mine and town site. With an asking price of $100,000, the remote piece of property did not sell. However, Wes Prieb, a man active in the Lutheran Bible Institute of Seattle, saw the potential for a spiritual retreat center at the old mine. Originally he asked the Howe Sound Company to give the land to the Lutheran Church as a gift. The Company refused, but eventually agreed to sell the mine, town site, and all the land for one dollar.

With the purchase of the land came a multitude of problems for the Lutheran Bible Institute. The structures were old and decrepit. Many were on the brink of collapse and those that still stood did not meet current building codes. With the help of large brigades of volunteers, the Lutheran Bible Institute successfully cleaned and refurbished many of the buildings. The Village began to function as a summer retreat center soon afterward. Originally, the Lutheran Bible Institute imagined a summer-only center, and kept limited staff on-hand for the first few winters. However, both the infrastructure needs of the community and the natural beauty of Holden Village in the winter led to the creation of a year-round retreat center.

Today, Holden Village operates as a year-round retreat center and is one of the most remote continuously inhabited places in the contiguous United States. Largely run by volunteers, the Village offers educational programming and outdoor recreation opportunities to visitors from all over the world.

Holger Jurgensen and Gunhild Felland Jurgensen's son Erling Jurgensen attended Pacific Lutheran College in the 1930s. Nicknamed "Snooky," Erling was the starting football fullback and team captain in 1938. He graduated from PLC in 1939. While attending PLC, he met fellow student Aagot Judy Gerde. The two were married and had two daughters, Nancy Carol Jurgensen and Janet Jurgensen. Both graduated from Pacific Lutheran University, Nancy in 1966 and Janet in 1969.

The early history of Zion Lutheran Church of Juliaetta, Idaho is closely connected with the history of Lutheran families of this vicinity. Florian Schaupfer came from Steirmarck, Austria, to Juliaetta in the fall of 1883 with his wife and two children. The first Lutheran services in this community were held in a log school house on the Florian Schaupfer Homestead. These first services were conducted by Reverend Zelle of the Missouri Synod, who came from Pendleton every six weeks. Reverend Anton Horn, Ohio Synod missionary in the Northwest, was the next to conduct services in the Florian Scharpfer home. He also started work in Cameron. Reverend H. Rieke was located in Genesee, Idaho, and organized the Cameron and Juliaetta congregations.

In 1904 the church was purchased at a cost of $400. In the summer of 1937 it was completely redecorated and other renovations were made. Fire destroyed the church in the early 1950’s, and a new structure was built 1956. After declining in numbers the congregation voted to dissolve July 1, 2012.

In 1919 Reverend W.F. Schmidt, the Field Missionary of the North Pacific District of the Lutheran Church, began a nucleus of a church in Baker after several prior attempts were made to organize a congregation were unsuccessful. A Ladies Aid was formed in 1920. In July of 1920 Reverend Joh Groschupf became the first permanent pastor. He organized the Sunday School and began confirmation classes. Official organization occurred on July 12, 1922.

In 1923 the lot on which the church was built was purchased by the Mission Board of the church (prior services were held in the Adventist Church). Consecration for the first church took place on June 20, 1926. The present building was dedicated on July 22, 1951. The congregation voted to remove their membership from the ELCA on March 15, 2011.