. ▁Today ▁the ▁church ▁serves ▁as ▁a ▁mem orial ▁to ▁the ▁contributions ▁made ▁by ▁a ▁small ▁group ▁of ▁Swedish - American ▁sett lers ▁in ▁R ice ▁County ▁in ▁the ▁latter ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 th ▁century . ▁ ▁They ▁prosper ed , ▁built ▁a ▁simple ▁church ▁and ▁made ▁last ing ▁contributions ▁to ▁their ▁community . ▁ ▁Chron ology ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁– ▁George ▁Miller ▁hom est ead ed ▁ ▁and ▁pl atted ▁a ▁village ▁recorded ▁as ▁" Mill ers burg ." ▁Miller ▁ere cted ▁a ▁mill ▁and ▁a ▁hotel ▁and ▁a ▁partner ▁started ▁a ▁general ▁store , ▁attract ing ▁" Y an kee " ▁sett lers ▁from ▁the ▁east . ▁Later ▁a ▁post ▁office ▁and ▁black sm ith ▁shop ▁were ▁established . ▁▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁– ▁First ▁Swedish ▁imm igr ants ▁settled ▁in ▁the ▁Mill ers burg ▁area ▁from ▁the ▁Red ▁Wing – V asa ▁area ▁and ▁initially ▁held ▁services ▁in ▁their ▁homes . ▁▁ 1 8 7 1 ▁– ▁L ester ▁post ▁office ▁established ▁by ▁John ▁W . ▁Thompson ▁one ▁mile ▁( 1 . 6   km ) ▁west ▁of ▁Christ d ala . ▁Thompson ' s ▁business ▁card ▁read : ▁Not ary ▁Public , ▁Justice ▁of ▁the ▁Peace , ▁Real ▁Est ate ▁Develop er , ▁Minnesota ▁State ▁Legisl ature , ▁Post master ." ▁More ▁than ▁half ▁a ▁dozen ▁Swedish ▁families ▁now ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁vic inity . ▁▁ 1 8 7 3 ▁– ▁Econom ic ▁de pression ▁in ▁the ▁U . S . ▁▁ 1