(Google Images)
Valhalla Lutheran Church
Valhalla Centre
Hythe, Alberta Canada
"Located approximately 60 km north-west of Grande Prairie, Alberta is the Hamlet of Valhalla Centre at the crossroads of Highway 59 and 723. 14 km west of La Glace. The population is 45 people (2011 stats) living in 19 dwellings." (Link 1.)
"In 1912, Halvar Ronning and the first members of his pioneering party filed on homesteads at this location. Subsequently, group after group of pioneers trekked the arduous Edson Trail to join the fledgling settlement, which would come to be known as “Valhalla”. Establishing a Lutheran parish was an integral part of Revered Ronning’s vision, and even before a single house was constructed, he began holding services in his tent. (Link 2.)
"Valhalla Centre got its name from Reverend Halvar N. Ronning. Valhalla means "home of the gods" in Norwegian. In Norse Mythology, Valhalla is the home of Viking Heroes after death." (Link 1.)
"By 1926, the settlers had prospered enough to hire Anton Finden, a pioneer carpenter from Norway, to build this church, a grand testament to the principles upon which their thriving little community was built." (Link 2.)
"Valhalla Centre was known for the Valhalla Cooperative Creamery. Homesteaders sold their cream to the creamery which made it into butter. The butter was then chipped by train to Edmonton. Because the Creamery did so well it attracted other businesses and the hamlet grow. In 1945 the creamery was sold to the Grande Prairie creamery. (Link 1.)
"Valhalla Lutheran Church
Nga Lam Artist
Valhalla Heritage Society" *
Thank you: *To Marilyn Sharples for sending me a card with a drawing of
Valhalla Lutheran Church where she attended as a child.
Link 1:
http://www.discoverthepeacecountry.com/htmlpages/valhallacentre.html
Link 2: http://www.geotourismcanada.com/documents/693.aspx
Prayer
God, be with the persecuted Christians through out the world. Amen (SW.)