German Congregational Church in Walla Walla, Washington
The photographs below were taken sometime in the early 1940s in front of the German Congregational Church on 7th and Willow in Walla Walla, Washington. There are three pastors seated on chairs in the center of the front row. From left to right they are Rev. David K. Schmidt, Rev. Jacob Kessler (the minister of the German Congregational Church shown in the background) and Rev. Heinrich Hagelganz, the pastor of the Second German Congregational Church in Portland, Oregon. In the photo directly below, Rev. Schmidt's wife and daughter are standing behind him (his daughter is shown to the left of his position and his wife is to the right).
Source: Ruth Dippel DeLuca - Walla Walla, Washington
The Volga German congregations of Portland and Eastern Washington (Walla Walla, Ritzville, Odessa, Colfax, Endicott, Yakima and other towns) shared common bonds of family, shared religious beliefs and clergy.
The photograph below was taken of the same church in 1915 after the completion of construction. Rev. Conrad Wagner led the congregation at this time. Source: Ruth Dippel DeLuca - Walla Walla, Washington.
