Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church - Akron, Ohio - Lutheran Churches on Waymarking.com

The congregation was founded in 1854 as German Lutheran Church. The present church, which was later enlarged, was built in 1876 for an estimated cost of $16,000. The church architecture is Gothic Revival. Corbelled dripstones accent pointed arch openings on the front façade. A raised center entry is housed in a projecting steeple and has a window transom with wheel tracery. A gabled slate roof (which was replaced in 2009) displays decorative brick frieze and cornice with box motif. The third story of the steeple features small gables with stepped brickwork along cornices, an inlaid brick cross and stone pinnacles which project from atop corner buttresses. Stone-capped buttresses define bays of side façade which features lancet windows.

From the church's web site:
"Zion Lutheran Church was organized on August 6, 1854, when Akron was a mere village, having a population of 3400. Middlebury and Cuyahoga Falls were strong rivals and often threatened to engulf the struggling Akron.

"The Missouri Synod of the Lutheran Church was likewise an immature body, being only seven years old. But the Lord blessed the work of the Synod, and it grew rapidly. Its pioneer leaders recognized the opportunities for mission work and for growth which the German immigration offered. A number of these Germans had come to this little Akron.

"Rev. Peter J. Buehl was sent to the village to minister to these people. He faced a difficult task. A small village, a handful of people who called themselves Lutheran, and these worshipping with a Reformed church---out of this to build a congregation of consecrated Lutherans.

"Through prayer and ceaseless effort, Pastor Buehl gathered fifteen families into an organization and a congregation was formed. Soon after, the members began to look for a place to hold worship services. They met in a Baptist Church for awhile and then in a small room in a hotel. By 1855, the membership had grown to 75 communicants and they were able to purchase their first building which was a small church that had been built in 1834 or 1835 and paid $1,000 for it. Within a few years, pioneer Simon Perkins donated a piece of land and the little church was moved to a new location. Incorporation papers were taken out in 1858 and the church had an official name. Ladies' Aid and Young Peoples' Societies were already established by 1859. The following year, Zion was able to build a school for the cost of $356.56. Here, Pastor Buehl also served as teacher. After ten years of service, Pastor Buehl left to accept another call, after having built up a thriving congregation and school of its own-all from a most humble beginning."

The school closed in the early 2000s.

Active Church: Yes School on property: No Date Built: 01/01/1876 Service Times: 8:00 am Traditional Worship; 10:45 am Praise and Worship Website: [Web Link]

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Date Logged Log User Rating   12/01/2009 buffalohiker visited it