Photos from the South Dakota Historical Archives

They were dotted all over South Dakota – little wooden churches built for small congregations that came with their need of faith to survive.

Those churches created communities that were bound together through births, marriages and death. This is a story of one of those little wooden churches. 

In the 1890s, according to the publication of Presbyterian Beginnings in South Dakota by Bruce David Forbes for the South Dakota Historical Society, the Presbyterian religion was far from number one in the State. There were 26,730 of Catholic belief, all bodies of those Lutheran were 23,314 and a mere 4,778 Presbyterians.

Parkston had its fair share. In 1886, Reverend John McAlman organized the first Presbyterian Church with 21 charter members. 

From the Presbyterian Historical Society

By 1898, they even had a full-fledged Ladies Aid Society! By the 1900s, this group begin raising funds for the church - even putting on a play at City Hall for that purpose. Though not smiling in the picture by the article from the Parkston Advance in 1910, it seems they had a lot of fun!

In 1915, the Presbyterians purchased the disbanded Methodist church, moved it to the corner of Walnut and Second and claimed that little wooden church as their own. 

It became the center of many family’s lives such as the Idema’s, the Mogck’s, the Van Natta’s, the Huey’s, the Hayne’s, the Rardin’s, the McClain’s, and my own the Mize’s and Adkins’. All of the families were dedicated to the church and each other. We were connected through decades. On one page of the church's records, my grandmother Helen Adkins, six of my aunts, my sisters, Gloria (Adkins) Leonard, Diane (Adkins) Graber and I are listed. The list spans over a forty-year period. 

From the Presbyterian Historical Records, Philadelphia

The church was just down the hill from the generational Adkins home. The church bells called the children to Sunday School. Down the hill path, dressed in Sunday finery, across the wooden bridge over Pony Creek, the children would go. 

Adkins Home, Parkston, South Dakota

L-r: Vina Adkins, Thompson girl, Margie Adkins. Circa, 1920s

My aunts, Margaret (Margie Adkins) Weisz, and Vina (Adkins) Myers attended in the 1920s. Margie even hosted her Sunday School for a special party at the Adkins home!

From the Parkston Advance, 1926.

Years later that bell called my sisters and me. As the generations before us, Gloria, Diane and I would walk the same path to join our cousins and friends for Sunday School.

Children of the Presbyterian Church and their teachers. Over the years, some of the names have been lost. Front row, l-r: Bobby Huey, Gloria Adkins, cousin Chuck Mize, Sharon Idema, Diane Adkins, Sandra Idema, Charlie Huey. Second row, l-r: Billy Hayne, unnamed, Shirley Taylor, cousin Joe Mize, Mary Ellen Idema, Gloria Hayne, Willis Hayne, Back row, four unnamed,  Mrs. Inez Mize, Mrs. Hamstra, unnamed, unnamed.  Circa, 1950s

Held in the basement of the church, Sunday School began with all the traditional songs for children, then off to class. But class never seemed to be a chore.

“It was such a happy, welcoming place to go!" – Mary Ellen (Idema) Nelson

Front row, l-r: Mary Ellen Idema, Gloria Hayne. Back row, l-r: Mrs. Taylor, Billy Huey and Willis Hayne. Circa, 1950s

Front row, l-r: Mary Jo Mogck, Diane Adkins, Gloria Adkins, Nancy Idema, Clarence Hayne, Sharon Idema. Second row, l-r: Sandy Idema, Shirley Taylor, Billy Hayne, Chuck Mize, Loretta Bieswinger. Third row, l-r: Gloria Hayne, Willis Hayne, Mary Ellen Idema. Back row, l-r: Unnamed, Mrs. Inez Mize, Mrs. Hamstra. Circa, 1950s

“I loved going, I got to see my best friend, Sharon Idema there!”- Gloria (Adkins) Leonard

Front row, l-r: Sandy Idema, Mary Jo Mogck, Diane Adkins, Billy Hayne. Back row, l-r: Charlie Huey, Shirley Taylor, Chuck Mize, Mrs. Inez Mize. Circa, 1950s

The Sunday School was a welcoming place to go in part due to those who taught us. One was our aunt, Mrs. Everett (Inez) Mize. In those days you always referred to married adult woman as Mrs.

“I loved my aunt she was kind and loving, warmth swirled around her." - Diane (Adkins) Graber

“We had picture books, crafts and singing. Mrs. Mize made learning fun!’ -  Sandra (Idema) Vick

My teacher was Mrs. Vic (Jane) Van Natta. She was kind and patient. As a young girl, I was a stutterer. She helped me learn my bible verses and gave me the confidence to take my time and think through my words.

I still cherish the Bible she gave me.

Mrs. and Mr. Vic Van Natta. Circa, 1962

The Ladies Aid Society was an integral part of our church community. My aunts, Joyce (Adkins) Koenig and Grace (Adkins) Mattas served as officers and hostesses. Like so much back then, it was news for the local paper, The Parkston Advance.

“When I was in grade school, my friend, Gladys Isack and I sang for a Ladies Aid meeting. They served us a delicious lunch.” - Sharon Idema

Officers of the Ladies Aid Society. Standing, l-r: Josephine Jaton. Mrs. Ed Lieschner, Mrs. Kermit Mogck, unnamed. Seated, unnamed. Picture taken in the Grace Mattas home. Circa, 1960s

Food was another integral part of the community! The basement of the church was not only used for Sunday School, but pot-luck dinners put on by that same Ladies Aid Society. The blue curtains hung to separate classrooms were removed and the space filled with tables loaded with all amounts of marvelous food. The Presbyterians truly believed in breaking bread together!

Parkston Advance, 1917.

In the church basement. Aunt Joyce Koenig, standing. Gloria Adkins to the left, Diane Adkins to the right. Circa, 1950s

“My mother’s, Margaret Adkins, goulash was a favorite!”- Gloria (Adkins) Leonard. For that recipe go here.

 The “glue” that held the congregation together was Reverend and Mrs. John (Mary) Hamstra. They arrived in 1925.

For years, they led with compassion and caring. Mrs. Hamstra was the head of the Sunday School - organizing classes, enlisting teachers and piano accompanist. Rev. Hamstra was the spiritual leader and officiant. 

“They were my surrogate grandparents.” - Mary Ellen (Idema) Nelson

 The couple lived in the “manse”, a yellow house next to the church. Not only was the church a welcoming place, their home was also.

 Jane Hobma, who became Mrs. Vic VanNatta lived too far out in the country to get to high school. She stayed at the Hamstra’s. 

Reverend John D. Hamstra, in front of the Manse. Circa, 1956

My Aunt Vina (Adkins) Myers was married in the Manse in 1943. 

Vina and Glen Myers' wedding picture. Circa, 1943

There were joyful weddings in that little wooden church! My aunt Joyce Adkins was married to Leo Koenig in 1929. Rev. Hamstra officiated. 

L-r: Aunt Grace (Adkins) and Uncle George Mattas, Leo Koening. Seated, Joyce Adkins Koening. Circa, 1929

Twenty seven years later he united Norma McClain and Kenneth Dean. Mrs. Van Natta’s children, Larry served as ring bearer and Carol as flower girl. 

Elizabeth Hogrefe, Beverly McClain, bridesmaids, bride, Nona McClain, Larry and Carol Van Natta. Circa, 1956

There were also heart-breaking funerals. In the 1950s Doug Idema, then a teenager, experienced two of those.

At the age of 18, Kenneth Hayne, 1^st Marine Division was killed in action in Korea on March 7, 1953.

William Rardin, age 17, drowned in the Jim River, July 1955. “Billy” was an outstanding athlete. Doug was a pallbearer for Billy.

“I had a hard time understanding both deaths. Kenny was so far away - someplace called the Yellow River, and Billy, maybe was just proving to the guys how long he could hold his breath.” – Doug Idema

Deaths are never easy. Rev. Hamstra headed both of their funerals, perhaps comforting the families as best he could. 

Kenneth Hayne, Circa, 1950s

Larry Van Natta was my Sunday School classmate. For all 8 years of Sunday School, Larry and I were the only ones in our class!

Sometimes Rev Hamstra served as chauffer. In the 1960s he took Larry Van Natta, Nancy Idema and me to the Presbyterian Camp Koda in Lake Andes.

What an adventure!

We swam, we sang and meet other kids from all over South Dakota. 

Larry Van Natta in front Camp Koda cabin. Circa, 1960s

“I remember sitting on the hill in the evening, candles in hand. We had vespers and sang, it was  so peaceful.” – Nancy Idema

That may have been the first of many times I sang Kum Ba Yah!

As time went by, the congregation’s numbers dwindled, but the church stayed alive and well maintained.

In the mid-1960s, my father, Pete Adkins painted the steeple. The church was across the street from the public school. Out of the windows of the school, according to my sister Diane, students watched as Dad hung off ropes straddled around the steeple high above the scaffolding below. He managed, paint brush in hand to complete the job.

Pete Adkins. Circa, 1960s

The steeple housed the bell that rang for all the services since 1915. Both Larry Van Natta and I had the cherished opportunity to ring those bells.

He, when an elder of the church allowed him to pull the ropes for Sunday Service. Me, when I was in high school.

It was New Year’s Eve, Reverend Hamstra had given me permission to join him in the tradition of ringing in another year. The sound of that ringing echoes back to me every New Years.

Photo: Glenda Dvorak

Mrs. Hamstra died in 1960. In 1965, after 40 years of service, Rev. Hamstra resigned. Somehow, I got his bible. I cherish this bible, too!

Because of the few members left, the elders choose to disband the church in 1967. The Presbyterian Congregation in Parkston was no more.

The United Brethren held services in the little wooden church for a few years.

In 1976, the doors were closed and the bell ceased ringing. 

Over the years, the church fell into disrepair. It saddened my heart!

Presbyterian Church, 2024. Photo by Glenda Dvorak.