Posted 4/4/01
Fish Lake Lutheran gets face lift
By MaryHelen Swanson
This week workers can be seen high on scaffolding along the walls on the exterior of Fish Lake Lutheran Church at Stark as they continue to strip all of the old coats of paint down to the original cedar shake siding. The large blue tarp that is spread out under the workers is there to contain any paint chips in case there happens to be lead paint in any of the layers.
Built in 1886, to replace the building that burned, Fish Lake Lutheran Church was well-made and has lasted nearly 120 years, noted Pastor Walter Leitze.
The carpenters who constructed the church building, using only hand tools, fitted the boards together like cabinet workers, he said.
The congregation became aware of the sturdy construction when they stripped the interior a few years ago for a major restoration project.
The completion of the exterior will be the culmination of that project.
ìThe easiest way (to remodel the exterior) would have been to put on steel siding,î Pastor Leitze said.
But the congregation opted for restoring the exterior as they restored the interior. When the stripping is finished, a fresh coat of white paint will be applied, and it should look as it did originally, Leitze said.
The project should take about a week or so, with everyone hoping it will certainly be completed by Easter.
It is about a $40,000 project, Pastor Leitze said, but that number could change due to the need for some replacement boards in a couple of places.
The project is being done by American Painting Company out of the Twin Cities.
Fish Lake Lutheran Church has a congregation that dates back to 1867, the oldest congregation, Pastor Leitze said, in the area.
The picturesque church stands on top of a hill just south of Stark on Co. Rd. 8 about 10 miles northwest of North Branch.