A Look At North Dakota’s Oldest Church

Traveling across North Dakota, you'll see homes, businesses, and other buildings that have quite the history. Some of them date back to the 1800s.

One thing I noticed when I moved out here almost 8 years ago was that there are a lot of churches in North Dakota. Looking at these places, thinking about how many people have walked through their doors, you can't help but get a little awestruck. With that, I became curious: which church is the oldest in the state?

(Also Read: 2 North Dakota Building Labeled As 'Ugliest In America')

I did a little research and tracked down the oldest one. You'll have to venture out into the middle of nowhere if you want to see it. Get off of Highway 1804, and go down a little dirt/gravel road to see this gem.

The church sits nearest to Hazelton, a quiet little town.  At a glance, it might seem like an everyday, average church, but you would be wrong to assume that.

This one has a lot of North Dakota history.

The Oldest Church In ND

According to onlyinyourstate.com, the oldest church in North Dakota is Glencoe Sloan Church. Keep in mind, this isn't necessarily the oldest congregation in North Dakota. Glencoe Sloan Church is a Presbyterian church that was first constructed in 1885, according to the source.

I'm not great at math, but that puts this church at more than 130 years old.

Naming The Church

If you're wondering where the name came from, according to KX News, the church was named after the town of Glencoe, which once existed in North Dakota. Unfortunately, that town has dissolved. Immigrants settling in the area decided to name it after something familiar, a town in Scotland named Glencoe, according to the source.

The rest of the name is said to have been chosen to honor Reverend Isaac Oliver Sloan.

Then vs Now

You might be surprised to hear that the church is still in use by the original congregation. Pretty cool, right?

If you're ever out in Hazelton, and you get an itch to see some North Dakota history, take a drive to see this quaint little church, many are making great efforts to keep it up and running.