Description of Historic Place

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, built in 1916-21, is a wood-frame structure that stands on a heavily treed site in the Moosehorn area of Manitoba's western Interlake region. The municipal designation applies to the church and its grounds.

Heritage Value

St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church is neat compact wooden church that makes a powerful statement of faith as its expressive steeple rises over its pastoral setting in rural Manitoba. The sturdy building, composed mainly of local materials and built by German settlers from Volhynia (then part of the Russian Empire, now in Ukraine), is a fine representation of the architectural traditions established by Lutheran congregations in the Interlake region. Gothic Revival in inspiration, with crisp uncluttered lines, a solid tower set into the building and detailing that emphasizes the Latin cross, the church, still used on special occasions, is a community landmark at a major crossroads in the Moosehorn area.

Source: Rural Municipality of Grahamdale By-law No. 897/98, March 11, 1999

Character-Defining Elements

Key elements that define the landmark character of the St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church site include:
- its heavily treed location at the intersection of New Home and Little Mudlake roads in the Moosehorn area and its placement, aligned east-west, with its entrance facing east

Key exterior elements that define the building's Lutheran architectural character include:
- the high, compact one-storey rectangular nave enclosed by a medium-pitched gable roof and the attached apse with a polygonal roof, all of wood-frame construction on a concrete foundation
- the dominant steeple set into the centre of the front gable, including a square bell tower with a double-door main entrance, wall dormers and tall spire with a polygonal roof surmounted by a large Latin cross and, at its base, corner pinnacles with blind pointed arches, pyramidal roofs and small crosses
- the Gothic Revival details, including on each of the nave's side walls equally spaced single-hung sash windows with pointed arched surrounds, clear glass and basic Y-tracery and, on the tower, louvred openings with pointed heads and cross-shaped mullions and transoms
- the basic materials, finishes and details, including horizontal board siding, two front diamond-shaped windows with clear panes, pointed and flat-headed openings in the apse, etc.

Key internal elements that define the church's heritage character include:
- the unaltered straightforward plan of the front vestibule, centre-aisle nave with a truncated ceiling, raised chancel and vestry in the southwest corner
- the east balcony and choir loft supported by wood columns, etc.
- the Gothic Revival details, such as the pointed arched trim around windows, the arch that separates the altar area from the nave, etc.
- the plain furnishings and finishes, including the hand-carved wooden pews, pulpit and altar, also with pointed arches, the hanging brass and copper-coloured chandeliers, the surviving fir flooring, etc.