Seemingly dropped in place right from medieval Norway, the traditional wooden stave church belonging to Wisconsin’s Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church was built on Washington Island to honor the area’s Scandinavian heritage. The foundation for the Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church’s stave church (modeled after a church in Borgun, Norway) was built in 1991 and completed three years later. The wooden church is mainly used for ceremonial purposes such as weddings.

Our speaker, Richard Purinton was born in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, and has resided in Door County all of his life with the exception of four years in the U.S. Navy. He is a graduate of Sturgeon Bay High School (1965) and UW-Madison School of Journalism. A resident of Washington Island since 1974.

Purinton said the church was the idea of a pastor there who wanted to honor Scandinavian heritage on Washington Island. While not all residents bought into the idea at the time, Purinton said the funds were raised, and by 1991, a foundation for the church was built.

Purinton said he’s proud of the way it turned out, especially its aesthetics.