Luther Place Memorial Church
Our History
Formally known as Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church, Luther Place was founded in 1873 as a memorial to peace and reconciliation following the Civil War. Two of the original pews were dedicated to Generals Grant and Lee. The building is in the shape of a ship, symbolizing a vessel for God’s work, with the rafters in the shape of a keel. The statue of Martin Luther on our grounds was dedicated in 1884 on the 400th anniversary of Martin Luther’s birth and over 10,000 attended the dedication ceremony.
The Rev. John Butler, first pastor of Luther Place, was an abolitionist who advocated for African American pastors in the Lutheran Church. In 1886 Daniel Wiseman founded Our Redeemer, which was DC’s first African American congregation. Rev. Wiseman was ordained at Luther Place in 1886.
A fire ravaged much of the nave in 1904 but allowed for renovations including the 12 reformers depicted in the windows and dedicated to unity under God. President Theodore Roosevelt spoke at the restoration celebration a year later saying that, “the Lutheran Church is destined to become one of the two or three greatest churches, most distinctly American.”
In the 1930s the congregation became aware of thousands of unchurched persons living in the city and began a life marked by evangelism. Pre- and post-World War II the city was teeming with young adults. Many were attracted to Luther Place by recreational and service activities. Church attendance was at a record peak.
