All articles from the first 24 years of the WELS Historical Institute Journal are on the WLS Essay File and can be downloaded. It is hoped that in the future an interactive course on WELS history can be offered on our site, as well as pictures, upcoming news, and other information. Thrivent Financial for Lutherans assisted this project with a $1,600 grant.

Prof. Richard and Lois Balge completed extensive research gathering material for a teacher’s manual and classroom curriculum for “The Little WELS School in the Woods” project. It is envisioned that fourth grade students and older will be able to visit the Landmark Church to have a half-day experience of an 1880s classroom. The work completed by the Balges was very well done; it includes arithmetic, reading, writing, spelling and religion lessons, as well as opportunities for students to perform some of the of the chores expected during a typical school day more than a century ago.

During the past two years, the pulpit and altar area of the Landmark Church has been restored to its style of the 1880s, and other restoration work has been done in the church interior. A work crew from WELS Kingdom Workers removed vines and cut down small trees growing on and alongside the church building, and members of Salem congregation trimmed larger trees around the church. The church exterior was painted and damaged pieces of wood were replaced. In 2007, a wedding was held in the Landmark Church, the first such event there in many years.