13300 Dessau Road, Austin, TX 78754, US
Historical Cemetery and Church
The Dessau community was settled in the 1850’s by German immigrants. The names of some of the early settlers were Martin Wieland and his two brothers, Fritz and Albert, and sister Hermine, Gustav Grosskopf, Fritz Krueger, Andrew Krueger, Willie Hennig, Carl Nauert, Christian Nehring, Frederick Goerlitz, and Mr. Schwartzkopf. They named the community after the German Duchy Anhalt-Dessau where Martin Wieland grew up. Dessau was founded in 1854 and is twelve miles north of Austin, Texas.
Soon after their arrival, these families began to conduct prayer meetings and bible studies in their homes. They alternated between homes until the early 1870's when they formed a Lutheran congregation and built the church that is still standing today. In 1874, eight acres of land were purchased from Christian Nehring for ten dollars. The church and the parsonage were built in 1876. The construction of the building was made possible by the labor and materials furnished by the members of the congregation and other settlers in the community. The construction was supervised by one of the early settlers, Fritz Krueger. In 1877, two more acres were added to expand the cemetery and to build a school house. The first burials were in 1874. Church services were conducted in German until 1940. After 118 years the congregation disbanded in 1994.
The original church building faces east and is at the top of a hill. The Dessau Lutheran Cemetery is directly in front of the church. Many of the early settlers and their descendants are buried in the cemetery which has over 200 graves.
The Lutheran Church of Dessau has been recognized by the “Texas Historical Commission” with a historical marker (1984).
The Dessau Lutheran Cemetery has been designated as a “Historic Texas Cemetery” (2009).
Brief history of the Dessau Lutheran Cemetery and the Lutheran Church of Dessau:
1874 - Eight acres purchased from Christian Nehring for the church and parsonage for $10.
1876 - Dessau Lutheran Church and parsonage built by Fritz Krueger.
1877 - Two acres added for a cemetery and school house.
1973 - Rev. Donald Luckemeyer performed last service for the original Dessau Lutheran Church congregation.
1976 - Dessau Lutheran Cemetery Association incorporated.
1977 - Dessau Cemetery deeded (1,37 acres) to Dessau Lutheran Cemetery Association by surviving members of original congregation.
1984 - Dessau Lutheran Church Texas Historical Marker Dedication.
1987 - A new Mission Church congregation established at Dessau by the American Lutheran Church.
1988 - The American Lutheran Churches joins other Lutheran churches to form the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA).
1994 - The ELCA Mission Church at Dessau closed its doors and the church property is deeded to ELCA Southwestern Texas (SWT) Synod.
1995 - Cornerstone Baptist Church leased church and property.
2000 - ELCA SWT Synod votes to sell the Dessau Lutheran Church property.
2001 - ELCA SWT Synod deeds property (0.9334 acres) that Dessau Church sits on to Dessau Lutheran Cemetery Association.
2001 - ELCA SWT Synod sells remaining 6.9415 acres to Cornerstone Baptist Church.
2009 - The Dessau Lutheran Cemetery designated as a “Historic Texas Cemetery”.
2019 - Dessau Lutheran Cemetery Association votes to move the Dessau Church to Pioneer Farms (ninety acre site just to the south of Dessau). Pioneer Farms is a collection of historic buildings preserved to accurately portray the lifestyles on the Blackland Prairie of Central Texas during the 19th century and is open to the public. www.pioneerfarms.org
