CHURCHES OF PALO ALTO COUNTY
From Atlas of Palo Alto County
Compiled 1969 by Title Atlas Company; Minneapolis, Minnesota

GRAETTINGER UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

    The Graettinger United Methodist Church had its beginning back in 1891 when there were only about 30 people in the town of Graettinger and only 6 store buildings in the business section. Since there was no church, the first service was held in the depot, conducted by a Methodist pastor. A minister named H. Austin, who had charge of  what was called the Swan Lake Circuit, held service in homes and the school on the hill.
    In 1892, a store building was vacated and was thereafter used as a meeting place until our first church building was erected. In the Fall of 1896, Rev. T.S. Bassett came as our resident pastor. He and his family lived above the George Hardware Store. In 1897, the Methodist Episcopal Church of Graettinger was incorporated and plans were made for erecting a church building. A lot was bought from and partly donated by Dr. Graettinger, founder of the town. That summer found the men and Rev. Bassett busily engaged in digging rock from the land on the east side of the river and south of the road. In one day, the men hauled 65 loads of rock ready for the foundation. On Oct. 17, 1897, the church was completed and dedicated.
    The summer of 1901, the congregation was busy building an 8-room parsonage on a lot donated by Flannery Brothers.
    With some ups and downs over the years, the congregation again made some plans for a church building. With a growing congregation, the women of the church purchased, in 1941, the first bond for a new church. An intensive drive or drives for pledges finally brought fulfillment of our dream for a new church, which was begun on Sept. 27, 1951, and in 1958, this church was dedicated.
    With the building debt completely paid, in 1958, we looked forward to the day when we would again raise funds to add education classrooms to the church. In the fall of 1965, plans were discussed and arrangements made to provide this additional space. In June, 1967, construction of the church addition (which doubled the space) was begun. A ground breaking service was held June 18, 1967 and the building was completed and a consecration service was held on Mar. 17, 1968.
    We are grateful for the past blessings upon our church and for the dedication of our pastors: Reverends H. Austin; F.L.Buckwalter; E.J. Bristow; A.A. Wilcox; T.S. Bassett; C.W. Kennedy; E.G. Clark; Thomas Potter; G.B. Malone; E.L. Stevens; W.G. Bennett; G.F. Fifield; W.A. Winterstein; Clyde Kuhn; F.W. Howlett; A.R. Cuthbert; E.M. Cathcart; H.C. Riley; J.A.E. Cunningham; C.J. Mekkelson; I.C. McNulty; Fremont Faul; Carl Hammer; Arthur Bottom; W.G. Bohi; F.W. Whitford; J.H. Miller; Arthur Rasmussen; R.E. Hodgkin; John Amundsen; George E. Pingle; R.O. Grote; C.F. Curtis; And Ronald Swedberg.