Photograph of Bethlehem Lutheran Church — Photograph by Jonathunder, CC BY-SA 3.0. Via Wikimedia Commons.

Bethelhem Lutheran Church

Built in 1897. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

From the record

“Bethlehem Lutheran Church is a historic Lutheran church in Nordland Township, Minnesota, United States. The church was constructed in 1897 by Swedish immigrants.”
Wikipedia article Bethlehem Lutheran Church (Aitkin, Minnesota), CC BY-SA 4.0.

One of 10 National Register listings published here for Aitkin County · listed in 1982 · category: Building · built in 1897.

Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service · the Wikipedia article

The listing

What is counted as historic. The nomination lists 1 building as contributing to the listing.
Address. Off Co. Hwy. 12, Aitkin, 56431
When was it listed? April 1982
Category. building
Also known as. Aitkin County MRA
Township. Nordland township
When was it built? 1897
National Register reference number. 82002928 - the number the National Park Service assigned this property when it was listed, and the key its nomination file is catalogued under at the National Archives.

Fires near this property

144 since 1992

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 144 fires within 5 miles of Bethelhem Lutheran Church between 1992 and 2020, burning about 672 acres in total. 3 started naturally. 4 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Reported cause	Fires
Debris and open burning	88
Missing data/not specified/undetermined	20
Equipment and vehicle use	20
Power generation/transmission/distribution	4
Arson/incendiarism	4
Natural	3
Recreation and ceremony	3
Misuse of fire by a minor	1
Railroad operations and maintenance	1

The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.

Date	Cause	Size	Reported by	Name on the report
23 September 2000	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
18 September 2012	Equipment and vehicle use	under an acre	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
12 September 2005	Natural	under an acre	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
9 August 2007	Equipment and vehicle use	25 acres	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	MINERAL RIDGE FIRE
5 August 2005	Natural	5.0 acres	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
29 August 1998	Debris and open burning	10 acres	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
19 August 2018	Debris and open burning	under an acre	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named
17 August 2013	Equipment and vehicle use	2.0 acres	Minnesota Department of Natural Resources	not named

Every fire recorded in Aitkin County

Mines and quarries near this property

4 within 5 miles

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 4 workings within 5 miles of Bethelhem Lutheran Church: 4 occurrences. None of them still produces. What was taken out: Limestone, General. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.

Site	Commodity	Status
Aitkin County Marl Beds No 3	Limestone, General	Occurrence
Aitkin County Marl Beds No 4	Limestone, General	Occurrence
Aitkin County Marl Beds No 5	Limestone, General	Occurrence
Aitkin County Marl Beds No 6	Limestone, General	Occurrence

Every working recorded in Aitkin County

Storms near this property

60 of 64 shown

Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Aitkin, the town this property stands in, in 64 storm reports between 1994 and 2025: 28 thunderstorm wind, 21 hail, 8 flood, 3 flash flood. No death or injury is recorded in these reports. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.

When	Event	Place named	Harm	What the report says
June 2024	Tornado (EF1)	Aitkin	$500,000	Another tornado developed on the northern portion of Hammal lake, where localized pockets of extensive tree damage were located, and one three-season cabin and boat house were completely destroyed and partially thrown into the water. The tornado continued east- southeast, uprooting and snapping several mature tree trunks as it crossed Highway 169 and Hanging Kettle Lake. The tornado then took a east-southeastward path through Ripple Lake, uprooting trees and knocking over an 85 foot tall antenna tower before the tornado ended over southeastern Ripple Lake. No fatalities or injuries were reported.
June 2024	Tornado (EF0)	Aitkin	$50,000	The tornado initially formed near Wolford in Crow Wing County and entered Aitkin County near the end of Cedar Lake Drive on Cedar Lake. The tornado path was to the southeast, crossing 456th Place, 320th Street, and, finally, 310th Street before lifting. This last section of the tornado path after Cedar Lake shows damage to numerous trees via satellite imagery before the visible damage path ends just to the southwest of the intersection of 310th Street and Pioneer Avenue. The tornado was rates as an EF-0 in Aitkin County, but produced EF-2 damage in Crow Wing County just before crossing into Aitkin County. No fatalities or injuries were reported.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	$20,000	A large oak tree was down on a house with other trees also down on powerlines.
June 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	$500	Power lines were blown over by strong thunderstorm winds.
June 2025	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	County dispatch reported multiple trees and powerlines down in Aitkin.
July 2024	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Two large oak trees were blown down from west to east.
May 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Multiple trees were reported down that were around a foot in diameter. A healthy tree was also snapped a few feet off the ground.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Numerous medium to large trees were snapped and uprooted over roadways and alleyways.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	The top of a large pine tree was snapped.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Parts of a metal building were ripped off and strewn over semi trucks.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Numerous trees were reported downed.
June 2022	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Multiple trees were snapped and were covering roads and a house.
July 2019	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Aitkin County Sheriff reported that power lines and trees were downed within the city of Aitkin due to the storm.
May 2018	Hail	Aitkin	-	Nickel-size hail was reported on Wilkins Lake.
September 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	A pickup truck was lifted by the wind and landed on top of another truck on 2nd Street in Aitkin.
September 2018	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Several trees were downed in the winds. The largest tree was about 2 feet in diameter.
July 2018	Flash Flood	Aitkin	-	Water was reported flowing into the first floor of an elderly care facility.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	The wind caused downed trees and structural damage to a home. A previously secured deck was thrown to the other side of a home.
July 2016	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	There were numerous trees blown down in the Aitkin area.
July 2016	Flash Flood	Aitkin	-	There was 10 to 12 of water of the roadway at the intersection of 344th Street and County Road 12. A car was pushed by the water.
July 2015	Hail	Aitkin	-	There was pea to dime sized hail.
July 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Numerous trees were down throughout the county.
July 2014	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees were blown down.
May 2013	Flood	Aitkin	-	The Mississippi River at Aitkin rose above flood stage on April 30 and fell below flood stage on May 17. Flood stage is 12 feet and the river crested on 13.35 feet on on May 8th at 11:45 pm CDT. There were no impacts.
April 2013	Flood	Aitkin	-	There was little impact from the flooding. Flood stage is 12.0 feet. The river crested at 13.35 feet on May 8th.
June 2012	Flood	Aitkin	-	River flooding continued from heavy rains in May 2012, with a crest of 15.09 feet on June 1st. The river fell below the 12 foot flood stage at 400 PM CST on June 12th.
June 2012	Flood	Aitkin	-	Flooding began at 1100 PM CST, June 17th as the Mississippi River rose to the flood stage of 12 feet. The river crested at 18.72 feet at 600 PM CST on June 29th, and ended the month above flood stage at 18.42 feet.
July 2012	Flood	Aitkin	-	The Mississippi River at Aitkin began July at 18.40 feet and went below their flood stage of 12 feet at 4:30 PM July 19th.
July 2011	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees of one foot diameter were blown down.
April 2009	Hail	Aitkin	-	There were many reports of hail less than one inch.
July 2009	Flash Flood	Aitkin	-	Parts of a rail road track were washed out by the Ripple River in Aitkin. Also, the heavy rain caused streets to be inundated with standing water. One city block was affected by water in, or approaching, buildings. Rainfall of two to four inches occurred in a few hours.
August 2005	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees and power lines were blown down in and around Aitkin. Trees were blown onto Highways 18, 65, and 169. There was also damage near Malmo. The damage area was 25 miles wide and 40 miles long across southern Aitkin County. 3500 households were without power, some for up to 4 days.
September 2004	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees and power lines were blown down.
July 2002	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees were blown down.
June 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees and power lines were blown down.
June 2001	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Trees were blown down. The wind speed is estimated.
July 2000	Lightning	Aitkin	-	Lightning started a house fire. There were no injuries.
June 1997	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Strong thunderstorm winds blew down many trees and power lines across a wide area from east and north of Mille Lacs Lake to the vicinity of Aitkin. Wind speed is estimated.
July 1995	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Many trees were blown down.
June 1994	Thunderstorm Wind	Aitkin	-	Numerous large trees were blown down on Highway 18 along the north shore of Mille Lacs Lake. The roadway was blocked in several locations.
July 2025	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
July 2025	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
June 2024	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
June 2024	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
June 2022	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
August 2018	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
August 2018	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
August 2018	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
March 2016	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
June 2016	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
June 2016	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
July 2015	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2012	Flood	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2012	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
April 2011	Flood	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2011	Flood	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2007	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
April 2007	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2006	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed
May 2006	Hail	Aitkin	-	no account filed

Every storm recorded in Aitkin County

Map coverage status

No historic map-sheet match is published for this property yet. That does not mean no map exists. This record needs a coordinate-quality review before it can be joined to a sheet boundary. Browse the county's mapped places while that work is pending.

Listed places nearby

6 within 8 miles

Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.

Property	Distance	Listed
Patrick Casey House	5.4 miles	1982
Northern Pacific Depot	5.8 miles	1982
Potter/Casey Company Building	5.8 miles	1982
Aitkin Carnegie Library	5.9 miles	1982
Aitkin County Courthouse and Jail	5.9 miles	1982
Pine-Hickory Lakes Roadside Parking Area	6.1 miles	2016

Sources for this property

National Archives record	The nomination case file for reference 82002928 in Record Group 79.
Wikipedia article	Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA.
Aitkin County	All 10 listed properties in this county.

Provenance

Listing record. National Park Service National Register of Historic Places, listed-properties dataset, current to 2026-05-22.
Map join. Address geocoded through the United States Census geocoder, then tested against the published boundary of every sheet in the USGS Historical Topographic Map Collection.
How this page is made. Listing fields come from federal records; map-sheet coverage is a labelled coordinate-to-boundary calculation, not a source-field claim.
Wildfire. Short, Karen C. 2022. Spatial wildfire occurrence data for the United States, 1992-2020 [FPA_FOD_20221014]. 6th Edition. Fort Collins, CO: Forest Service Research Data Archive. https://doi.org/10.2737/RDS-2013-0009.6 Collected with United States Government funding and usable without additional permissions or fees.
Mines and quarries. USGS Mineral Resources Data System (MRDS) https://mrdata.usgs.gov/mrds/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105.
Storms. NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/stormevents/ A work of the United States government, no copyright under 17 U.S.C. 105. Narratives are quoted verbatim from the National Weather Service report and are not edited or summarised.