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ebook History of Watertown, Wisconsin
German M. E. Church
Wesley Methodist Church
201 North Fifth Street
First Methodist and Wesley Methodist churches merged
in 1956
1849
ESTABLISHED in Watertown
1860
07 19 PICNIC
The children belonging
to the German Methodist Sunday School in this city had a Pick Nick last
Thursday. They marched through the streets
in a procession with banners flying, and in a neighboring grove passed a few
hours very pleasantly. WD
1869
WHS_006_355 / Wesley
Methodist Church
Constructed at a cost of $5,260
in 1869, this church also went by
the name German Methodist Episcopal
Church. It was constructed with
Watertown cream brick. The interior
featured a pressed metal ceiling. This
building was representative of the religious values and architectural tastes of
early German settlers in Wisconsin. It
was deconsecrated and abandoned in 1968 and demolished in 1978.
1886
1888
01 11 New Year’s Day an anarchist’s notice was found tacked upon the
German Methodist Church written on ordinary writing paper in a poor English
language. “All hail, anarchists the
world over, and remember the Chicago martyrs,” was the prelude to the document
and then the brethren were cautioned against the preachers, churches and the
press. “The wine that mocketh,” used in the communion was mentioned as not to be
handled or touched. The document bore no
signature. A similar one was bond posted
on Saint John’s Lutheran Church. WR
1893
WHS_006_356 / Wesley Methodist Church Parsonage
This was the parsonage for the
Wesley Methodist Church which was located next to this house. This structure was built in 1893 using
Watertown cream brick. The cost of
construction was $2,058. It was
demolished in 1978, probably at the same time the church was demolished.
1895c
Distant view
1899
10 20 Last
Sunday was a memorable day in the history of the German M.E. Church of this
city, that being the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the church in
this city. Appropriate religious services
were held, and choir, led by John E. Heismann,
rendered a beautiful musical program.
Large numbers were present at all the services, which included many
former members of the church who now reside elsewhere. WG
1907
08 29 A
meeting of the board of trustees and stewards of the German M. E. church was
held at the church chapel yesterday afternoon.
Among other matters transacted was the unanimous adoption of a
resolution which will be sent to the Chicago conference of the German M. E.
church asking for the return of Rev. Henry Karnopp,
who has been pastor of the local church for the past year and whose services
are most acceptable to the members of the church. WG
1908
10 02 Rev. Henry Karnopp has been reappointed pastor of the German M. E.
Church in this city. WG
1912
Foreground: English M E Church (Fifth and Main); German (Wesley)
Methodist in distance
c.1920s-30s
Interior views 
1954
02 29 The
members of Wesley Methodist Church are being called upon this week for the
official board of the church in a special Lenten loyalty program, intended to
raise $10,000, to complete the extensive remodeling program which the church
inaugurated two years ago. At that time,
the 85-year-old building was without a basement and the heating plant was in
need of replacing. A drive was made to
raise $12,000 to provide a new heating plant and to excavate a basement, and
the congregation responded with pledges totaling over $16,000, to be paid over
a 100-week period. Since then the church
has gone far beyond its original plans, the pastor of the church, the Rev. J.
Ellsworth Kalas, pointed out. Two outside entry ways to the basement, new
narthex, a remodeled balcony, new carpeting and a completely furnished kitchen
were added to the program. In addition
the sanctuary was redecorated, and a divided chancel constructed.
1955
04 14 The
congregations of Watertown’s two Methodist Churches voted overwhelmingly on
Sunday in separate meetings following the morning worship service to come under
a common pastor beginning in June, with an aim for eventual union of the two
churches. The possibility of such an
arrangement was suggested to the two congregations last month, after the pastor
at Wesley Church, the Rev. J. Ellsworth Kalas,
announced his resignation to his congregation.
The district superintendent, the
Rev. Alvin J. Lindgren, met with the Rev. Carlos Asher, pastor of the First Methodist Church, and Mr. Kalas, after which meetings were held with the pastoral
relations committees of the two churches and their respective official boards
and quarterly conferences. In each case
it was voted that the matter should be referred to the individual congregations
for an expression of their opinion.
1956
04 05 The
first of two church mergers affecting four of the city's present Protestant
congregations, first announced in the Times
in 1955, will take effect on June 1, 1957, when Watertown will have only one
Methodist Church. Announcement of this
date was made here today by the Rev. William V. Stevens, minister of First Methodist and Wesley Methodist
churches.
The other merger, which is also
scheduled for next year, will involve the First Congregational Church and the
First Evangelical and Reformed Church.
Details on the merger are still pending. WDT
1968
DECONSECRATED
AND ABANDONED in 1968
1978
DEMOLISHED in 1978.
Cross References:
Walter Goodlette (Mr. Goodie) was
involved with the music at the Wesley Methodist. His daughter was a soloist at the
church.
Contributed Memory: "Every time I think
of that beautiful church being torn down, I could cry. It was so pretty inside. Sunday School in the basement with Mrs. Urban
was glorious.”
History of Watertown,
Wisconsin