The United Church built a new seminary at 2375 Como Avenue in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Shown here is the building's dedication at the annual meeting of the United Norwegian Lutheran Church in 1902. The building was later named for Markus Olaus Bockman (1849-1942), professor and president of the United Church Seminary, 1893-1917, and its successor, Luther Theological Seminary 1917-1930. Front of photograph reads: Annual Meeting of Norw American Church at St. Anthony Seminary. Back of photograph reads: United Seminary main building, dedication, aka Bockman Hall.
This is the main building of Luther Theological Seminary. It was later named Bockman Hall in honor of M.O. (Markus Olaus) Bockman, president of Luther Theological Seminary, 1917-1930. This one building contained dorms, classrooms, faculty offices, a chapel, and a gym. In 1917, three Norwegian Lutheran church bodies, the United Church, the Norwegian Synod, and Hauge's Synod united to form the Norwegian Lutheran Church. Old theological differences on the doctrine of election (predestination) were smoothed over in a document known as the ""Opgor"" (""Agreement""). The seminaries of the three church bodies, the United Church Seminary, Luther Seminary (Hamline Ave., St. Paul), and the Red Wing Seminary, were merged to form Luther Theological Seminary on the United Church Seminary campus on Como Avenue in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood in St. Paul.
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the Constance W. Johnson collection, shows the interior of the chapel in the United Church Seminary building. Back of postcard reads: Chapel in Bockman Hall, Luther Theological Seminary.
This photo depicts the cornerstone laying for the United Church Seminary building. The cornerstone is inscribed with the date ""1900,"" but we know the building was not used until 1902, so the exact timing of events requires more research. It was not uncommon to mark cornerstones with the centennial dating to capture the spirit of the age, even if it was not the exact date. This building was later renamed Bockman Hall. Note the people watching the ceremony from the window openings and the open umbrellas even though it doesn't appear to be raining. Back of photograph reads: Bockman Hall, 1899-1900, Luther Seminary, Cornerstone laying.
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the Constance W. Johnson collection, shows the gymnasium at the United Church Seminary. Three children are posed on the parallel bars. Some equipment items shown are: parallel bars, free weight, punching bag, juggling pins, rings. Back of postcard reads: Gymnasium, Bockman Hall, Luther Theological Seminary, Constance Weswig Johnson in center.
The United Church built housing for its faculty on the St. Anthony Park campus. This panoramic views shows the United Church Seminary building (later named Bockman Hall) on the left and faculty housing on the right connected by dirt roads.
Shown here is an exterior of the United Church Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Until the library was built in 1948, this single building housed classrooms, faculty offices, recreational areas, a chapel, and student dormitories for the entire seminary. The building was later named for Markus Olaus Bockman (1849-1942), professor and president of the United Church Seminary, 1893-1917, and its successor, Luther Theological Seminary, 1917-1930.
This photo shows seminary students in a classroom at the United Church Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul in 1905 or 1906. Note the formal dress and the gas lamps. Seminary students and clergy at that time were exclusively male. Front of photograph reads: United Lutheran Seminary student body, 1905-06, in the classroom of Bockman Hall, first floor, west side. This was made into dormitory rooms when Bockman Hall was remodeled in 1956. Notice the plug hats, the class pictures and the gas lighting.
A common practice in the early part of the 20th century was to have photographs printed on ""picture postcard"" stock. This photo, from the collection of Constance W. Johnson, shows United Church Seminary students relaxing outside the seminary building, ca. 1905. Back of postcard reads: LTS seminary students outside Bockman Hall ca. 1905.
Wartburg Chapel, which was named after Wartburg Castle in Germany, was located in Bockman Hall on the campus of Luther Theological Seminary in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Note the carved reredos with painting behind the altar. This chapel was later converted to dormitory and office space when daily chapel services were held in Aasgaard Hall. Back of photograph reads: Interior of Bockman Hall (from small snapshots of Bockman Hall - photo).