• Historical Institute

    Salem Landmark Museum

    Take a Tour

  • Christmas Concert

    A Landmark German Christmas Concert
    Like our great-great grandparents celebrated 175 years ago

    Christmas is coming!

  • Membership

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    the benefits

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Started in 1982, the purpose of the Institute is to preserve and present the story of God’s grace…

About the Institute WELS 175th Anniversary

WELS 175th Anniversary- logo - Christ through us

Salem Landmark Church & Museum

The WHI works to restore and preserve Salem Lutheran Landmark Church, constructed in 1863 and located in Milwaukee near the site of our synod’s founding in 1850.

The synod museum, on the lower level of the church, houses many artifacts and pictures from our synod’s past. Church and school groups of all ages are welcome to visit. The church and museum are open for tours, which need to be arranged in advance.

About Salem Book a Tour

WELS Historical Institute Journal & Newsletter

Since 1983 the Institute has published the WELS Historical Institute Journal and the Historical Institute Newsletter. Two issues of each appear every year for members. The Journal is designed to appeal to pastor, teacher, and layperson alike. It includes heavily researched articles interspersed with personal reminiscences, diaries, and translations of old letters and documents from leaders and laypeople—men and women of faith who have a story to tell. The Newsletter shares information about upcoming events, meetings, and matters of special interest to members of the Institute.

Access Journal & archive

Events

175th Anniversary Celebration: Learn more

A Landmark German Christmas Concert

December 18 @ 6:30 pmSalem Landmark Church & WELS Museum

175 Years of Change in WELS Worship

April 12, 2025 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pmSalem Landmark Church & WELS MuseumPresenter: Rev. Jeremiah Gumm Description: Union Cemetery was first founded by St. John's Lutheran Church (8th and Vliet) as St. Johannes Lutheran Cemetery in 1851. In 1865, the cemetery was merged with those of Grace (WELS) and Trinity (LCMS) of downtown Milwaukee. This cemetery is rich with the early WELS history of Milwaukee. WELS founder, Rev. Johannes Muehlhaeuser, helped to select and purchase the grounds. Both he and later WELS President Johann Bading are buried there, as are the early directors of Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary--Dr. Adolf Hoenecke and Prof. John Schaller, the latter of which also played a key role in establishing Dr. Martin Luther College for the training of Lutheran teachers in the Wisconsin Synod. This tour will focus on these early fathers of the Wisconsin Synod and its ministerial education system. Tidbits about others who lived and served in Milwaukee during the early years of the Wisconsin and Missouri Synods and who now enjoy their final rest at Union Cemetery will be highlighted along the way. Parking is available inside the cemetery. The tour will be conducted by Pastor Jeremiah Gumm. Pastor Gumm has served congregations in Liverpool, NY and Maitland, FL, and currently serves as associate pastor at St. Lucas in Milwaukee. He serves on the Seminary's Pastor Partners Mentoring Leadership Team and was a founding editor of Grow in Grace's Shepherd's Study book review blog. He has a Master of Sacred Theology (STM) from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary.

Union Cemetery Tour 2025

May 31, 2025 @ 10:00 am - 11:30 pmUnion Cemetary

WELS Archives

WELS Archives & CMM Visitor Center

The WELS Archives preserves WELS past for future generations.

A sister entity to the Institute is the WELS Archives. In 2016, the Wisconsin Synod hired its first official synod archivist and began moving the synod archives from Wisconsin Lutheran Seminary, Mequon, Wisconsin, to a purpose-built archival space, designed to preserve and organize historical WELS documents, books, and artifacts at the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry, Waukesha, Wisconsin.

Are you conducting research? The WELS Archivist may be able to help!

In conjunction with the archives, a visitor’s center was built to help show the history and mission of WELS. The visitor center is open for tours during weekdays.

About WELS Archives & tour Visitor Center

A SPOTLIGHT ON THREE OF OUR

WELS Presidents

Seminary seal
1865-1867 WELS President Wilhelm Streissguth

1865-1867 President Wilhelm Streissguth

President Wilhelm Streissguth Wilhelm (William) Streissguth was born at Lahr, grand duchy of Baden, on April 10, 1827. He pursued ... Read More
1908-1933 WELS President Gustav E. Bergemann

1908-1933 President Gustav E. Bergemann

Gustave Ernst Bergemann was born August 9, 1862, to Ludwig Bergemann and Wilhemine nee Schulz of Hustisford, Wisconsin. After being ... Read More
1953-1979 WELS President Oscar J. Naumann

1953-1979 President Oscar J. Naumann

President Oscar J. Naumann On June 24, 1909, Oscar J. Naumann was born in Wood Lake, Minnesota to Rev. Justus ... Read More