Norwegian immigrants began settling in Bosque County in 1854, spending most of their days working to build their new lives, but Sundays were reserved for worship. In 1886, St. Olaf’s Kirke, also known as The Rock Church, was constructed with volunteer labor using stones from a nearby mountain. The church remains unchanged, with no running water or electricity, and is heated by a wood-burning stove. Original features like the pews, floors, and light fixtures still remain, and the church boasts a rare pre-1900 Vocalion Reed Pump Organ, which has been recently restored. In 1897, the Ladies Aid Organization added a Swedish bell that would ring an hour before services, calling the community to worship.

Rev. J.K. Rystad, pastor of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Norse, served both congregations until 1902, when St. Olaf’s was able to support its own preacher. By 1917, the growing congregation built a new St. Olaf Church in Cranfills Gap, though both churches remain under the same congregation. While regular services shifted to the new location, St. Olaf’s Kirke is still used for special services like Easter, Christmas Eve, weddings, and funerals. Its cemetery, which has expanded to nearly 3,000 spaces, adds to the historic and serene setting.