Preserving our heritage

In partnership with the WELS Archives, the WELS Historical Institute (WHI) exists to collect already available Wisconsin Synod congregational, school, and personal histories and to encourage the further exploration, research, and writing of such histories for the generations to come.

Especially through the utilization of the unique and valuable resources collected and housed in the WELS Archives, it is the desire of the WHI to promote and support scholarly research and writing so that together we can gain a better understanding and appreciation for our shared history and heritage under Christ.

One generation will praise your deeds to another, and they will declare your mighty acts. —Psalm 145:4

One of the unique purposes of the WHI website is to serve as a repository for available synodical histories. Our website is intended to provide easy, online access for WHI members to the congregational, school, and personal histories that have already been written. It is also our goal to assist interested readers and researchers by helping them discover additional resources that might broaden their knowledge and understanding of their particular subject.

The WHI welcomes the submission of all such histories to be considered for inclusion in our online library, as well as for possible publication in the WELS Historical Institute Journal.

The WHI website also provides easy, online access for WHI members to quality images that help bring Wisconsin Synod history to life. This unique resource assists church historians in illustrating the story of our synod’s mission and ministry with more than words and gives those who are simply interested in pictorial history a unique window into our synod’s past.