Hope Lutheran Church (Westcliffe)
Ornamental concrete block structure is home to one of Colorado's oldest Lutheran congregations
Hope Lutheran Church
✟ Christian (Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod) | Westcliffe, CO
Hope Lutheran Church in Westcliffe was designed by its pastor, Rev. John Reininga, and built by local parishioners in 1917. It is home to one of the oldest Lutheran congregations in Colorado, formed by German immigrants in 1872 after they came west from Chicago. The church building was a significant upgrade from the aspen-pole structure where they formerly met. Through changing economic times—the decline of mining, the rise of agriculture, and beyond—the Hope Lutheran congregation remained strong and became a focal point of the community of Westcliffe and of Custer County more broadly.
Among Colorado church buildings, this is a rare example of ornamental concrete block construction, a new construction technique perfected around this time. Using a hand-operated block press, builders made concrete blocks on site with locally available aggregate and water. Though the process was slow—drying and curing could take weeks—it was significantly cheaper than shipping premade blocks from a factory. By changing faceplates on the press, builders could create different surface treatments. In constructing Hope Lutheran Church, parishioners used smooth panel-faced blocks for the first seven courses above the foundation, then rock-faced blocks for the rest of the exterior—a fact evident in the photo above.
The 96-foot tower is topped by a cross and holds a bell. According to a 1997 article in the Pueblo Chieftain, “Each Sunday, the bell is rung by hand to call worshippers to service.” The interior is illuminated by 14 stained glass windows. The church building, which was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1978, continues to be the home of an active LCMS congregation in Westcliffe.
Sources: Hope Lutheran Church | NRHP Reg. Form | NRHP Reg. Form for First Baptist Church of Moffat (description of ornamental concrete block construction used at Hope Lutheran Church and other sites)
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