Herdukried
Lutheran Church
(Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church)
Langruth

Designation Date: March 14, 1994
Designation Authority: The R.M. of Lakeview
Present Owner: Trustees of the Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church of Langruth

The construction of this church began in 1929, undertaken by a number of paid workers and volunteer assistance from the church congregation. Congregation member Carl Lindal, a master cabinet builder, designed and constructed the platform enclosure and pulpit. The church, dedicated in the summer of 1930 by Reverend K. Olafson, was given the name Herdukried Lutheran church. Herdukried is the name of a mountain in Iceland and, in the Icelandic language, means ‘wide shoulders.’ In 1963, the name of the church was officially changed to Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church.

Like other settlement groups, church construction was always a priority among the Icelandic community, most of which was of the Lutheran faith. Church buildings were of a simple design—a wood-frame, rectangular-shaped structure with a tower and a gable roof. Buildings were enlivened with Gothic Revival elements, such as pointed arched entrances and windows and crenellated porch sections.