The first house of worship of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran congregation of Andover, Illinois, this church stood as evidence of pioneering faith and devotion. Begun in 1851 under the leadership of Pastor Lars Paul Esbjorn, it was dedicated on Advent Sunday, December 3, 1854, and named after the noted Swedish singer whose generous interest helped make the structure possible. The chapel and adjoining old cemetery were dedicated as a synodical shrine at special centennial services on Sunday, June 13, 1948, held as part of the eighty-ninth annual convention of the Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Synod of North America.