The history behind 'Lutheran Bridge'

When I first came to Carson Valley, I wondered why that span across the Carson River on Centerville Lane was named the "Lutheran Bridge."

Here's the history: from 1877 on, Lutheran families in Carson Valley had held occasional services in various homes, led by visiting pastors from California. It wasn't until the 1890's that the first official Lutheran church was actually organized in Gardnerville. Thirty-four people with surnames already familiar to me in our Valley such as Neddenriep, Bruns, Heise, Stodieck, Henningsen, and Hussman had signed up to be part of a future, fledgling congregation near the Carson River. When William Lampe offered up a small plot along the east side of the river about 1Ú2 of a mile from town, these Lutherans paid $72 for it. From then on people called that bridge "Lutheran." That first Trinity Lutheran Church was complete enough that by Christmas of 1895 the first service was held there, with carols played on the $60 reed organ, purchased in San Francisco. Early services alternated in both English and German.

The Lutheran property steadily improved with additions of pews, sidewalks, and a balcony. Local craftsman William Thran hand-built an exquisite altar, baptismal fount, and lectern. Electricity, a garage, and the second floor of the parsonage were soon added. In 1925, Trinity's 30th year was observed with the new Hinners 3 rank pipe organ in place.

But by WWII, it was obvious that the old building that shuddered each time the bell rang had been outgrown. The church, which had weathered the depression with bank, farm, and business failures in Carson Valley and frequent flooding of the nearby river, faced another sign of the times, the end of services in the now politically incorrect German language.

Then a young church member-soldier, Kenneth Storke, was killed in 1945 in Luzon, two weeks after Germany formally surrendered. His grandfather, Henry Marquat, offered three acres in his memory near what is now the intersection of Douglas Avenue and Mill Street. The congregation was ready to build a new Lutheran church.

Noted Reno architect Frederick DeLongchamps drew the plans, and church member and builder Herb Dressler became the contractor. Dressler constructed the church for $120,000, by using his own tools and equipment and giving the congregation the benefit of his material discounts. In 1953 it was complete.

The old church property was sold to Jac Shaw in 1954 but the little white chapel that the bridge is named for still stands proudly near the river, behind the Eastern Sierra Feed and Farm Supply. Look closely at the white building with the arched windows and you'll see that even without its early steeple, it still looks like a church.

Like organ transplants, pieces of that building gave life to other Nevada congregations. Thran's lectern and baptismal fount went to the Faith Lutheran Church in Round Mountain; the altar is at Bethany Lutheran in Hawthorne, and the reed organ is at First Presbyterian Church, Virginia City.

n Sheila Dill is a Gardnerville resident.