A Quick Stop in New Trier, Minnesota

We were headed down toward Cannon Falls and Red Wing in southern Minnesota to do some bicycling over the long weekend.  Along the way, we passed New Trier.  This is not a very large town.  Wikipedia credits it with 31 households.  That's a small town.

But, oh what a church they have on top of the hill just a couple of hundred yards off County 50 (240th street.)  Just take a look.


A sign notes that the building is on the National Register of Historic Places.


According to the Dakota County Historical Society, the original congregation was organized in 1856 in a log building but soon outgrew that and built a stone building in 1864.  The present building was constructed in 1909.

But who built the congregation?  The History of Dakota County by Warner and Foote in 1881 tells us it was Father Gregory Koering.

Gregory Koering parish priest of New Trier born in Westphalia Prussia 1833 He came to America in 1861 and attended the St Vincent's college at Milwaukee was ordained St Paul Minnesota in 1865.

 And he was a builder.

About the year 1869 he removed to Shakopee finding the church property deeply indebted. In 1876 he left it in a flourishing condition.  In March, 1878, he removed to New Trier.  The church there having flourished under his charge, the congregation numbering 1,000 souls. 

Bavarian architect George J. Ries was responsible for the construction of the present building.

"Old" Trier, by the way is a town in Germany located near the border with Luxembourg and claims to be the oldest city in Germany with a history dating from 16 B.C.