Old Rock Church refurbished, redecorated, re-dedicated

Norse Community, Bosque County – St. Olaf's stands alone on a raw and rocky hilltop near the summit of a ridge in this enclave community established before the Civil War by refugees from yet another civil war.

Erected in March 1888, the church is lit only by candles and heated only by a wood stove. There is no electrical wiring other than the thick copper cables that ground the lightning rods on the steeple and the roof.

Many generations have been christened, married, and buried within its congregation, which now only observes weddings and some funerals within its thick stone walls.

The door, it is said, has never been locked.

A recent refurbishment and redecoration has had a stunning effect on the native stone building, which is sparkling under a fresh coat of paint, a refurbishment of its roof and steeple, and a much more spruce image than ever before.

A new community center built with the same grade of stone is under construction on the grounds.

The story behind the beautification is that a young couple from Dallas had meant to marry at the church, but when an accident claimed the life of the bride, the parents decided to dedicate the project in her memory.

To visit, take FM 219 west from the corner of Hwy 6 at Clifton, follow that trail to a sign that indicates a county road leading northwest to the Norse Community. Follow the meandering course past trophy game ranches, prime cattle land and some of the most gorgeous views in this part of the Hill Country, and you will come upon St. Olaf's, built to withstand the gales and blizzards of a country where dark comes early most of the year.