Browse our records of rural and small town churches of the past.
You can use the links listed here to quickly jump to the church listings for a particular area.
This Topic has been the most difficult to research, few records are available except in local History Books all of which I have gleaned repeatedly with results that are oft times not overwhelmingly fruitful. Especially what with the size of area that this Page is covering, an area comprising of close to 9000 square miles, I know there will be churches missed when I’ve finished compiling the information which I have.
I have conferred by word of mouth from persons of these areas to check on my information and have had good results but still feel the chance of omissions will be inevitable. As a preamble to the Churches and Religions of the area of days past, the early settlers of the area were mostly ranchers, that being of cattle, horses and some sheep. These were mostly persons of Scottish and English descent, their prime religions were Anglican (Church of England), Presbyterian, with some Catholic Missions included. As schools sprang up, these served a second purpose as church services were held in them on Sundays. As well, services were most times held in private homes where two or more families could gather together. In those days buildings such as Community Halls basically were nonexistent. Therefore services were mostly held in buildings other than church buildings. Ministers would travel by horseback or by horse and buggy from place to place as his services were requested and required.
Most of the Germans from Russia that we are mainly concerned with in this submission to this Page did not settle this area until after 1900. That is not to say that I am not concerning myself with the other cultures in this article, my information on Churches as was with Schools will cover all cultures and all religions equally. I am treating all Cultures and Religions equally in my Research work as again, in my humble opinion, there were no borders between Cultures and Religions in this area, they may have gone to different churches, practiced totally different seeming religions, but at the end of the day they all worked together to forge a great country as only good neighbours can and will. They may have spoken different languages but they all tried to understand one another which at times I’m sure was not easy.
Cypress Hills (Alta) area
| Cypress Hills (Alta) area | |
|---|---|
| Congregational Church- Gros Ventre, Tothill | SE29-9-4-W4 |
| Evangelical Church- Gors Ventre, Tothill | SW1-10-4-W4–Built 1908 |
| St. Annes Church of England (Anglican), Josephsburg | NW18-9-2-W4–Built 1897, Abandoned 1912 |
| St.Alban Church of England (Anglican), Gros Ventre, Tothill | NE16-10-4-W4–Built 1905 |
| St. Peters German Latvian Lutheran Church, Josephsburg | NE36-903-W4–Organized 1897 |
| St. Margaret’s Church of England (Anglican), Eagle Butte | NE20-7-3-W4–Built 1907-08, Still Operating |
| Alliance Church, Elkwater (in Elkwater TownSite)- | Built 1957 |
| Baptist Church, Josephsburg Baptist Freedom Fighters | SW36-9-3-W4–Built 1900 |
| Baptist Church, Gros Ventre, Tothill | NE36-9-4-W4–Built 1923 |
| St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, Gros Ventre, Tothill | SE16-9-4-W4–Built 1914 |
Walsh (Alta) area
| Walsh (Alta) area | |
|---|---|
| United Church (Congregational, Graburn | NW35-9-1-W4–Built 1917, Destroyed-Fire-2009 |
| Church of God (Gemeinde Gottes), Graburn | NW26-9-1-W4–Built 1932 |
| Methodist Church, Walsh (in Walsh) | Built 1912 |
Schuler (Alta) area
| Schuler (Alta) area | |
|---|---|
| St.Peters Lutheran Church, | SW of Shuler SE21-15-2-W4–Built 1917 |
| Congregational Matthaus Church, | W. of Schuler SW34-15-2-W4–Built 1918 |
| Church of God, Schuler originally | SW15-16-2-W4 |
| Church of God, Schuler | (now in Schuler) –Built 1934 |
| St. Joseph’s Parish (RC), Schuler | SW15-16-1-W4–Built 1930 |
| Fredensfeldt Baptist Church, | SW of Schuler SW14-15-2-W4–Built 1917 |
Hilda
| Hilda | |
|---|---|
| Congregational Church- SW. of Hilda | SW36-7-2-W4–Built 1912 |
| Zion Lutheran Church, Hilda SW9-18-2-W4– | Built 1914 (moved 1961-SW17-18-2-W4) |
| Hilda Seventh-Day Adventist Church | SW15-18-1-W4–Built 1923 |
| Bethlehem Lutheran Church, Hilda | SW7-18-1-W4–Built 1913 |
| Evangelical Church, Hilda | 2m. N of Hilda –Built 1917 (later moved into Hilda) |
| Gnadenfeldt Baptist Church, Hilda | SW15-20-1-W4–Built 1923 (Sandy Point School) |
| Hilda Baptist Church | NE22-17-1-W4–Built 1911 |
Manyberries – Wild Horse area
| Manyberries – Wild Horse area | |
|---|---|
| Christ Lutheran Church, Manyberries | Built 1958 |
| Presbyterian Church, Manyberries | Built 1916 |
| St.Leos Parish (RC), Manyberries | Built 1958 |
| Glassford Church, | near Manyberries |
| German ELCC Church, near Manyberries | Opened June 1931 |
| Evangelical Lutheran National Church, Manyberries | Built 1922 |
| Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church, Manyberries | NW5-6-5-W4–Built 1936 |
| Presbyterian Church, Orion | Built 1917 |
| United Church, Orion | Built 1925 |
| Evangelical Church | Built 1962 |
| Anglican Church, Comrey | |
| RC Mission | (bottom of Milk River Basin prior to turn of the Century) |
| Ebenezer United Church | (along Seven Persons-Orion Hiway N. of Bulls Head Butte) |
| Immanuel Lutheran Church | (Services in Barby School-House) |
| Presbyterian Church | (Services in Bullshead Butte School) |
| Free Evangelical Church | (Services in Glen Banner School) |
Irvine – Clearwater area
| Irvine – Clearwater area | |
|---|---|
| Salem Evangelical Church, Newburg, Site #1 | SE4-10-2-W4–Abt. 1950 |
| Evangelical Church, Newburg | NE16-10-2-W4–Built 1908 |
| Church Of God- Newburg | SE16-10-3-W4–Built 1926 |
| Bethel United Church, N. of Irvine | Built 1917 |
| Congregational Friedens Gemeinde Church, Irvine | Built 1914 (1918?) |
| St.Georges Anglican Church, Irvine in Irvine)– | Built 1907 |
| Lutheran Church, Irvine-(originally Christ Lutheran-in Irvine) | Built 1966 |
| German Baptist Church, Irvine | Built pre 1914 |
| Baptist Church, Irvine | Built 1914 |
| Christ Lutheran Church0(Evangelical Lutheran Christus Gemeinde) | (in Irvine)–Built 1912 |
| Peace United (Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational) (in Irvine)– | Built 1925 |
| Church of God, Irvine (in Irvine)– | Built 1946 |
| Seventh-Day Adventist Church, | 12m.S. of Irvine SE10-10-3-W4–Built 1916 |
Dunmore area
| Dunmore area | |
|---|---|
| Little Plume Evangelical Church, S.of Dunmore | NW36-9-5-w4–Built1919, Still Operating |
| St.Albans Church of England (Anglican), Tothill | NE16-10-4-W4–Built 1905 |
| Bethel Evangelical Church, Wisdom | SW1-9-6-W4–Built 1914 |
| Methodist Church, Dunmore | Opened, Sept 1883 |
Bow Island- Winnifred area
| Bow Island- Winnifred area | |
|---|---|
| All Saints Anglican, Bow Island | Built 1909 |
| Church of Holy Hope, 8m S. of BI on Nemiscam Rd. | Built 1912 |
| Methodist Presbyterian Church, Bow Island | Built 1907 (First Church in Bow Island) |
| St.Michaels Catholic Church, Bow Island | NE35-8-11-W4–Built 1912 |
| Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Maleb | Built 1916 |
| Zion Lutheran Church, Bow Island | Built 1911 |
Foremost area
| Foremost area | |
|---|---|
| Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (in Foremost) | Built 1958 |
| Evangelical Free Church, Foremost | Built 1957 |
| Norwegian Lutheran Church, Foremost | Built 1913 |
| Trinity Lutheran Church, Foremost | Built 1944 |
| St.Josephs Catholic Church, Foremost | NE16-7-11-W4–Built 1913 |
| St.Saviours Anglican Church, Foremost (Burlington) | Built 1914 |
| United Church, Foremost | Built 1913 |
Etzikom area
| Etzikom area | |
|---|---|
| Sacred Heart RC Church, Faith | SW13-4-9-W4–Built 1912 |
| Evangelical Free Church, Etzikom | |
| First Baptist Church of Etzikom | Built 1920’s |
| St.Gabriel The Archangel RC Church, Etzikom | Opened April 27, 1958 |
Seven Persons – Whitla area
| Seven Persons – Whitla area | |
|---|---|
| Seven Persons Church | Built 1908 |
| Whitla United Church | Built 1914 |
| Whitla Catholic Church (RC) | Built 1913 |
| Windy Ridge St. Anthony’s Church, Granlee (RC) | 2-9-9-W4 |
