Gethsemane Church, Austin, Texas
historical marker
Gethsemane Church, located in Austin, Travis County, Texas, holds a significant place in the city's history. The first Swedish Lutheran Church in Austin began meeting in 1868. On December 12, 1868, Swedish pioneers formally organized the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Gethsemane Church under the leadership of Swante Palm. This was the first Lutheran church established in Travis County. The current church building was erected in 1883 at 16th Street and Congress Avenue. Its Gothic Revival style was designed by architect August Swenson. Notably, the exterior bricks were salvaged from the second Texas State Capitol, which burned in 1881. The ornate main doors were later added in 1934, coming from the University of Texas at Austin's Old Main building. The congregation relocated in 1961. The State of Texas then acquired the facility, and it now houses the offices of the Texas Historical Commission. In 1962, the Gethsemane Church was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark by the State Historical Survey Committee. This committee, established in 1953, later became the Texas Historical Commission in 1973. The historical marker was erected in 1962, recognizing the church's enduring historical importance.