The cornerstone of the Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Augustana Church, at 54th and Kimbark Avenue, was laid on Sunday, July 29, 1906.

Following the opening prayer by Reverend Svanbeck and a song by the Elim Choir of Pullman, the President of the Illinois Conference, Reverend F. A. Linder, from Geneva, laid the cornerstone and delivered the speech of the day. Following Reverend Linder, Dr. W. H. Hegstrom read an interesting history of the congregation that had built the new church, the history being written in English. The Reverends Bixby, Ames, and Fors spoke in English; while the Reverends Bergstrom, Tengwald, and Svanlund spoke in Swedish. During the presentation of another beautiful song by the Elim Choir, a collection was taken up amounting to $147.38. Upon completion of the program, the family of the Augustana Church served a tasty lunch at their nearby home.