Wow. 100 years old.
Look back on what is was like 100 years ago when this building was completed, and compare it to today.
| 1902 | 2002 | ||
| Average Life Expectancy | 47 | 78 | |
| Three Minute Call from Denver to New York City | $11.00 | .15 | |
| Average Wage in the US (per hour) | .22 | $12.80 | |
| Births taking place at home | 95% | 5% | |
| US Doctors with a college education | 5% | 95% | |
| Dozen Eggs | .14 | ..89 | |
| Pound of Coffee | .15 | $4.90 | |
| Stars on the US Flag (no AZ, OK, NM, HI, AK yet) | 45 | 50 | |
| Population of Las Vegas, Nevada | 30 | 553,000 | |
| Mother’s Day and Father’s Day Celebrated | No | Yes | |
| Percentage of Homes with a telephone | 8% | 93% | |
| Automobiles in the US | 8,000 | 100,000,000+ | |
| What women used to wash their hair with | |||
| Borax & Shampoo & Egg Yolks Conditioner |
But not Shoreham Chapel. It is still there, still open every Sunday in the summer, still offering a place of worship for all that enter.
The following is a brief history of the Shoreham Chapel, collected from the records, letters, reports, bills, checks, newspapers and personal recollections of it’s members.
Harriet (Hattie) Belle Angevine was born in Vermont in December of 1862. She married Mr. Fred Lincoln Goodman of New York State in the early 1880’s, and they came to Hillsboro, North Dakota to live. Fred owned the Bank in town, and they lived above it on Main Street. They had three children, a daughter, Cecyl B., born in 1888, a son, Paul A., born seven years later in 1895 (lived in Denver, CO as an adult), and another son, Donald, born in 1897 (lived in St. Paul, MN as an adult). (This was taken from the 1900 Census of Traill County, ND)
In the late 1890’s and early 1900’s, there was no Shoreham Chapel, there was only Hattie B. Goodman teaching Summer Sunday School at her lake home. Week after week, she would invite the local children to her house, teach the gospel, and give them something to eat. She decided she needed something more permanent to teach the students, and the idea for a small building was born. Mrs. Goodman started collecting funds for a Chapel, but never saw it’s completion. In 1901, at the age of 39, Hattie Goodman died from “paralysis of the Heart”. Her husband, Fred, continued the collection of funds, and built the Chapel in her Memory, completing it in 1902. Hattie Goodman was buried on a hill, in the woods South of Lake Sallie and West of Shoreham. Her grave was later moved to Poultney, Vermont, her place of birth.
The land for the Chapel was donated by John K. and Agnes B. West, and E.F. and Winifred G. Harris, four years after the building was completed. They donated four 50 foot lots, covered with trees. Today, the Chapel sits on only a portion of two of those lots. The land was transferred to the Chapel for the fee of $1.00, with the stipulation that it can never again be sold, transferred or disposed of, or if the Chapel ceased to function, then the land would be returned to the heirs of the West and Harris families.
The Chapel’s records from 1902 to 1926 were lost, but some facts are known. Next week we will continue our look back into history, with a view of 1912 to 1922.
Week # 2 — 1912 to 1922 (presented 06 23 02)
Last week, I started to tell you about Hattie Belle Angevine Goodman, after whom the Shoreham Chapel is named. Let’s continue. She attended the Troy Conference Academy, and graduated from Boston University in 1884. Hattie loved books, was trained as a teacher, and taught one year in Medway, MA.
Hattie met Fred Goodman at the Troy Conference Academy, and married him on a stormy afternoon in 1888 at her parent’s home. Hattie was 25. Immediately following the wedding and catered dinner, Hattie and Fred boarded the evening train in Rutland, VT, for the long trip to North Dakota. Fred had already established the Bank in Hillsboro, ND, and Fred was the mayor when he married Hattie. Fred also had business interests in Grand Forks, ND.
Hattie had an older Brother, also named Fred, who died while attending college at Brown University. Hattie died January 8, 1902. Fred Goodman later remarried Mrs. Grinell, his housekeeper.
I wonder how people got to church in these years? Cars were scarce, and good roads were hard to find. Many of the people with cabins on Melissa and Sallie came from far away — St. Louis, Winnipeg and Minneapolis. They traveled by train to Detroit Lakes, and then on a boat down the waterway from Detroit Lakes to the Hotel Shoreham, which opened in 1910. Mom and the kids would stay at the lake for the summer, and Dad would come when he could. Summer residents would walk to church, or take a horse and buggy. Some of your cabins have garages that served as a stable for the horses back then.
Even though the early records for the Chapel were lost, we know that our first trustees were all women: Caroline Chaffee, Josephine Lyons, Frances Johnson, Ida Eddy, Ellen Childs, Alice Reid and Lucy Holmes. Why all women? The United States declared war on Germany in 1917, and officially entered World War I. This put many men in the Armed Forces. Those that weren’t in the military were working back home and didn’t, or couldn’t, come to the lake very often.
The Chapel was built on four large, heavily wooded lots, bordered by the road in front of the Chapel. But in 1893, the original road in front of the church was abandoned, and a new one was built where it is today. By the time the deed was recorded in 1906, the description of the property that referred to the old road caused the Chapel to loose about half of the property it had been given.
Next Week: 1922 to 1932… The Chapel Shuts Down.
Week # 3 1922 — 1932 (Presented 06 30 02)
Today, the Shoreham Chapel meets eleven Sundays a year, from the middle of June to the end of August. The Service is Sunday mornings at 10:45.
It wasn’t always this way. Records show the Chapel would be open only in July and August, with services at 4:00 each Sunday afternoon. Attendance was sparse, averaging about 50 people per Sunday, with an average collection of $9.00. Since the pastor was paid $5.00 per Sunday, the remaining $4.00 wasn’t enough to pay the bills. The Chapel would operate in the red, with the difference made up by the Treasurer. It was common to start the year owing the Treasurer more than was collected every Sunday from the previous year. Thank Goodness for our Treasurer at the time, Mr. W.J. Lane of Fargo.
Last week I told you the names of the Chapel’s original Trustees in 1906. They ran the Chapel — paid the bills, and kept it up. By 1924, almost all of them had moved away — they were no longer summer residents of Shoreham. Two women, Dorothy Russell and her Mother, worked to keep the Chapel open, to keep it clean, and to make sure there were Sunday Services. Dorothy’s Mother was very ill, and the Russell cottage was sold. That was it — no one to take care of it, no pastor – no more services at the Hattie B. Goodman Shoreham Chapel.
So, we didn’t meet for two summers and the Chapel sat vacant. Mr. West and Mrs. Harris, the people who gave us the land to build the Chapel on originally, wanted the property back, as their agreement called for. The Pettibone Lodge next door (where the Village Resort is) and the Hotel Shoreham were doing a booming business, and this land was valuable. If no one was using the Chapel, they said, ‘Tear it down’.
Up stepped the Rev James Anderson and W.J. Lane, both of Fargo. Their efforts kept the Chapel open, and stopped the property fight with Mr. West and Ms. Harris. They brought in the Billy Graham of his time, Mr. Sidney Smith of Winnipeg, Canada, to speak two or three times a year. This guy could pack them in, and really increased the Sunday collections.
In October of 1929, the United States started into the Great Depression. There were no jobs and no crops due to the droughts and insects. There was no alcohol sold, and no money. In spite of these obstacles, the Chapel stayed open, bringing people together in the summer to hear the Lord’s word.
Next week — moving the Chapel to make room for the Gas Station across the Street.
Week # 4 – 1932 to 1942 (presented 07 07 02)
For 10 years, the Chapel argued with the neighbors over the property lines. Since the Chapel was given property based on the location of the road in front (North Melissa Drive), everything changed when the road was abandoned and moved to its present location. The disagreement was between the Chapel’s Board of Directors and Homer and Bertha Olson, grandparents of the current owners of the Hotel Shoreham, Rick and Tom Lynch.
Mr. Olson wanted the property the church is on to build a gas station. Visitors and guests at the Pettibone Lodge and the Hotel Shoreham would drive out, and need gasoline to get back home. Mr. Olson owned a portion of the property that the Chapel is on, including the area the bell tower sits on. Mr. Olson offered the Chapel $500.00 to move, and the then President of the Board of Trustees, Mrs. Elizabeth Preston Anderson, had a lot available for the new site. After reviewing all the phone and power poles on either side of the road, it was determined that the move would not be feasible, and we ended up staying where we are. The gas station was built across the street, where today it is known as ‘All Decked Out’.
Every Sunday morning during the summer services, we ring the bell at 10:00am, and again at 10:45am to signal the start of the service. We bought the bell from the Northern Pacific Railroad on August 5, 1928, for $25.00. The Chapel paid our custodian, Mr. Vernon DeWitt, $8.63 to install it. The bell is similar to those used on the front of the train engines.
In 1933, we put a new roof on, made out of cedar shakes, for $115.00 including installation. When the bill came, the Chapel didn’t have enough money to pay it, so Dr. F.E. Ball (Grandfather of Charlie and Barbara Buck) made up the $47.70 shortfall. The Chapel was so appreciative that it made Dr. Ball the new Chairman of the Finance Committee.
In 1936, only 201 people attended Sunday Services during the entire summer. A vote was taken at the Annual meeting to decide if services should be continued. The members voted Yes — to keep the doors open. The breakdown of the vote was not noted in the notes. In 1938, in an attempt to increase attendance, the Chapel paid $1.00 to cut and haul away the poison ivy in front of the building. Attendance went up to 204.
In 1939, the 6-year-old roof started to leak. It still leaks.
On December 8, 1941, the United States declared war on Japan, and officially entered World War II. On December 11, Germany and Italy declared war on the US.
In the summer of 1942, the By-laws of the Chapel were amended to make sure that no more than three members of the Board were from the same church denomination. The Chapel wanted to remain non-denominational, with no pressure to lean one way or the other. Next week…. Going door-to-door to raise attendance.
Week # 5 — 1942 to 1952 (presented 07 14 02)
With our pastor, Gary Danielson, in the pulpit for the last 42 years, we take having a minister to preach the Sunday Sermon for granted. It wasn’t always like this.
For many years in the 1930’s and 1940’s, the Shoreham Chapel would have a different pastor every Sunday. These preachers were members of the Detroit Lakes Ministerial Association, and took turns leading the Sunday worship services.
In 1944, with a war going on and with attendance at very low numbers, the Board of Trustees decided to try something different. The Board contracted with a college student, R. S. Allen, a junior in Theology from the Wheaton Seminary in Wheaton, IL, to be the Pastor at Shoreham Chapel.
This kid was a worker! He personally visited 300 cabins on Melissa and Sallie, handed out literature, cleaned the building, mowed the lawn, painted the front of the Chapel, led the 9 Sunday Services, and still found time to preach once or twice at the Lutheran Church in Vergas. He did all this for free room and board (provided by Mrs. Elizabeth Anderson), transportation to and from Shoreham (provided by Sidney Smith), and $25.00 (provided by Dr. F. E. Ball).
This worked so well, the Chapel did it again in 1945, and we expanded the duties of the new college seminary student, Mr. Boehr. We had Sunday school in the morning, Sunday morning and Sunday evening services, and a Wednesday night service. Lee Baldwin and Beverly Rue taught Sunday school, and Laura Dixon Hinderaker and Dodie Larson Fercho put together the choir. That’s right, we had a choir. No pews, no organ, but a choir.
On August 15th and 16th, 1945, the Chapel was kept open for two straight days following the surrender of Japan in World War II.
The Chapel liked this idea of a Student Pastor, but in 1946, the student hired by the Chapel never showed up. So, we went back to the Detroit Lakes Ministerial Association again.
The Chapel used more students in the late 40’s and early 50’s, with seminary or theology students from Concordia College in Moorhead, Concordia College in St. Paul, and the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago.
In 1947, the current Burlap walls we still have today were installed.
Attendance continued to grow, and the Chapel started the 1950’s with $200.00 in the Bank.
Next week, the Fabulous 50’s… a decade of repairs.
Week # 6 — 1952 to 1962 — Repairing a 50 year old building (presented 07-21-02)
As we continue to celebrate our 100th birthday with a Chapel Picnic today, we are reminded of what was happening in this building 50 years ago.
Anyone with an older lake cabin knows about repairs, and the members of the Shoreham Chapel certainly did. So, in the early 1950’s, the Chapel installed new front steps ($45.00), a new railing for the steps, and a new rope for the bell. The cracked window glass was replaced, and new screens were installed where needed, all for a cost of $161.00. A man named Emil Johnson, who was also the Secretary of the Board, did most of the repairs in these years. Emil kept this building from falling apart.
In 1958, under the direction of George Dixon, Shoreham Chapel put together plans for on-going building maintenance and an interior redecorating project. First, the knotty cedar and gypsum paneling on the alter and alter wall were installed, at a cost of $62.74. Then, some new pictures were hung (all are still here today). Additional folding chairs were donated, and the Chapel bought more Song Books (from Daveau Music in Fargo) as the Sunday crowds drew larger. When we used to have 25 to 40 people on a Sunday, the Chapel was now drawing 80 to 110 parishioners each week.
We spent time at our meetings talking about insurance on the Chapel. We had Tornado insurance. And Wind insurance. And Fire insurance. Each needed a separate policy and required a separate bill. We went all out, and insured the Chapel for $4,200.00 in the late 1950’s.
The Chapel continued the necessary repairs; removing and hauling away dead trees ($25.00), repairing the leaky roof and eliminating the bats from our Belfry. We installed new flags and flag standards on the altar, and we spent $150.00 to purchase our current Espey Organ.
On August 31, 1958, 37 people attended the Sunday service. Five got up and walked out, because it was too cold. That’s right, too cold.
In 1960, Dick Kvamme and Emil Johnson found what they had been looking for… a new Pastor to lead Shoreham Chapel. They recruited Reverend Gary Danielson, from the Union Mission in Fargo, to be the Pastor at Shoreham Chapel. Today, 42 years later, Rev. Danielson is still the Pastor, leading Summer Worship Services at 10:45 each Sunday morning.
Next week — The Chapel gets new Pews
Week # 7 — 1962 to 1972 — New Pews (presented 07-28-02)
Church music on Sundays is important. In 1962, due to decreasing attendance, we had to come up with a new music committee and replace the choir. We needed better voices and better songs, and we got them.
The Chapel never owned the parking spaces in front of the church. Our worshippers would park there every Sunday, but Lois Olson Lynch owned the land. Lois also owned a small triangle of land the bell tower is sitting on. After many years of disagreements, the Chapel was able to buy the bell tower and parking land for $475.00. This exhausted all the money the Chapel had saved, so the call went out for a special collection. The members pitched in and raised $536.00 (about $4,000.00 in today’s money).
In 1965, the Chapel got rid of the folding chairs and installed the current pews. The pews came from the Grace (some accounts show Faith) Methodist Church in Fargo, and they were donated at no charge, thanks to Rev. Danielson. Mr. Dick Kvamme hauled out four truckloads of pews from Fargo, and they were installed by Mr. Harold Linblad for $4.50. That is $4.50 total, not per pew.
Also in 1965, the Chapel had three loads of black dirt hauled in to fill some holes in the yard and had the yard seeded, both for a total of $29.00. Attendance increased by 40%. Was it the pews or the new grass?
The chapel did not get electricity until 1968, prior to that, an extension cord was run over to the Village Resort so coffee could be brewed.
Mr. and Mrs. Don Douglas donated the stained glass window above the altar in 1967. The had asked that a cross be placed on either side of the window, but the cross below the window is still there. Mrs. Rose Lane Jones donated a lighted cross for the outside of the building, and the current song ‘bulletin board’ was placed above the piano.
In 1968, the start time was moved to 10:45am. Attendance was booming, averaging 100 people per Sunday. Also in 1968, the Chapel had to replace 4 windows and screens damaged by “kid’s baseballs.” There was additional vandalism in 1970, purportedly by the boy who was hired to mow the Chapel’s lawn. As punishment, his father asked the board to fire his son, and the board did so.
In 1972, the Genz family purchased a neighboring resort, The Totem Pole. This purchase began a number of years of disagreements about sewage leaks, moving the Chapel and removing signs and fences. The resort owned a blue cabin named ‘My Old Kentucky Home’(torn down in 2002), that was just inches away from the West side of the Chapel, and the source of dissension.
Week # 8 – 1972 — 1982 (presented 08 11 02)
These 10 years were spent by many lake residents raising their families, or their family’s families.
Just as the kids grew, so did the Shoreham Chapel’s attendance during these ten years.
In the 1970’s, the records show that the Chapel discovered ownership of 59 (fifty nine) shares of Continental Western Industries common stock. The excitement of finding out the current value of this stock was brief. Would the Chapel become wealthy overnight? Alas, the company had gone out of business and the stock was worthless.
In 1974, the Chapel’s Board discussed moving the Chapel building across the street to gain more parking. This idea was voted down.
In 1977, the Building and Grounds Committee decided to spruce up the outside of the Chapel. The Committee asked Paul Conmy, a relative of Hattie and Fred Goodman), for help. Paul collected money from his family, and a new sprinkler system, new sod, new trees and shrubs, a new pump house for water and a portable bathroom were all installed. This was all done for about $1,300.00. Two of Hattie Goodman’s children, Don, from St. Paul, and Paul, from Denver, were part of this group that donated money.
In 1978, the Chapel decided to keep the lights on in the building at night, to keep the bats out. We have since contracted with Mr. King (‘Bat Man’), who rid the Chapel of Bats and gave us a lifetime warranty.
In 1980, the Chapel adopted our unofficial motto, “Come as you are”. This slogan was used in all ads and posters.
In 1982, the Chapel installed the Wains Coating that is still in place under the windows around three walls.
Week # 9 — 1982 to 1992 (presented 08 18 02)
By now, Shoreham had become a true community. A US Post Office, appearances on Minnesota State Maps, a grocery store, a bait shop, two gas stations, two places to eat, two resorts, plenty of nightlife, and the Hattie B. Goodman Shoreham Chapel.
The Chapel sat right in the middle of all this activity.
In 1983, the Chapel paid Tom and Rick Lynch $1,148.27 for the Wains Coating and installation done the previous winter.
In 1984, one Sunday produced a record attendance of 194 people inside and outside of the Chapel. (There were rumors of 212 people attending one Sunday morning Service in another year, but no accurate records are available to prove this).
In 1989, the Chapel’s Board negotiated with the Lynch Brothers, owners of Hotel Shoreham, to buy the two story house that they owned, located 50 feet directly East of the Chapel. The Lynchs asked $30,000.00 for the house, but the Board would only offer $21,500.00. The house was purchased by Jim Ingstad in 2001 and given to Jim Dixon with the stipulation Mr. Dixon would pay to have it moved to make room for Mr. Ingstad’s new home. Jim Dixon had the house moved across North Melissa Drive, across the Chapel Parking lot, and put it on a new foundation on County Highway 22.
In 1990, the Chapel spent $6,850.00 to repair the Chapel’s foundation, which was rotting. During this repair project, workmen found a pipe that ran from the blue Genz cabin to underneath the Chapel, one foot away. What did the Chapel’s Board do? Well, they first offered to forget about these damages if the Genz’ would give the Chapel this blue cabin and the land it was on. The Genz’ declined the Chapel’s offer, so the Chapel threatened a lawsuit. Upon further review by both parties, it turned out that a combination of the Chapel’s sprinkler system, rain runoff and carpenter ants caused the foundation problems. All were fixed and the foundation was made strong again.
In 1991, Mr. Gale Satrom discovered stained glass windows taken from St. John’s Hospital in Fargo at Orchard Studio in Fargo. Mr. Satrom notified the Chapel, and the windows were purchased and installed in 1992 by a retired Detroit Lakes Industrial Arts Teacher. $600.00 was collected for each window, and a plaque was placed on each stained glass window frame to remember the donors.
Week # 10 — 1992 to 2002 (presented 08 25 02)
For these past ten years, the Shoreham Chapel has continued to grow and prosper.
The Chapel continues to be updated, with the installation of a new sound system to amplify the Pastor’s voice, with new carpeting provided by Helen and Adeline Williams, with a new coat of brown paint and with re-covered hymnals. The pews were even sanded so that worshipers wouldn’t stick to them on hot and humid Sundays.
Doors were painted, soft spots on the floor were fixed, new winter coverings were installed for the screens in the entryway and the roof leaks were patched again.
The discussions among the Building and Grounds committee now concerns the roof. Over the years, the roof has sagged a bit, and the committee is now weighing the available options for structural repair — making sure the building is good for the next 100 years.
Our new neighbors, Jim and Vicki Ingstad from Fargo, bought the Lois Lynch Cabin, the Totem Pole Resort, and the House to the East of the Chapel, had them moved or demolished, and built a new lake home on this land. Mr. and Mrs. Ingstad donated $11,000.00 to the Chapel for the construction of a new bathroom/kitchen/storage building, a project that is still ongoing.
To celebrate the 100 year Centennial in 2002, the Chapel sponsored a Style Show (displaying clothing worn during the different decades), hosted an old fashioned Church Picnic, complete with plenty of potluck food, lemonade and hay rides, and set aside one Sunday to honor and thank all those who had/have worked so hard and had/have done so much to keep this Chapel operating for 100 years.
In summary, Mr. Corbett purchased the entire Shoreham area, from the Flea Market to the channel separating Melissa and Sallie, from the US Government for $8.00 in the late 1800’s.
The Chapel was built by Fred Goodman, to honor his wife, Hattie, on land donated by Mr. West and Mr. Harris. Hattie died before the Chapel was completed, and was buried on a hill South of Lake Sallie (presumed to be the 1st Fairway of the Detroit Country Club). Hattie’s remains were later moved to her childhood home of Poultney, Vermont (some theorize that the wrong remains were moved, and that Hattie Goodman is still buried on the 1st Fairway).
Due to lack of attendance, the Chapel was closed for two years in 1924. When it reopened in 1926, the Chapel continued to struggle with finding a Pastor and with low attendance. What really got the Chapel going again was a 20 year old Seminary student named R.S. Allen, who went door-to-door to build awareness and attendance.
Three times the Board came close to moving the Chapel, but it remains here, in it’s original location, rock solid on the original foundation.
With Gary and Ruby Danielson here in 2004, for his 44th year of ministering at Shoreham, we look forward to the next 100 years.
Thank you.
William Schuett, President
Board of Trustees
Shoreham Chapel
952-922-4152