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Lutheran Ladies’ Seminary 1894-1920

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First opened in November 1894 as a finishing school, the Lutheran Ladies’ Seminary in Red Wing, Minnesota became a full-fledged college offering a Bachelor of Arts Degree. The seminary had a renowned Conservatory of Music that was well-known throughout the Midwest. The ladies who attended gave the institution the nickname “prestefru fabrikk” – meaning the pastor’s wife factory. 

On June 8, 1920, there was a fire that destroyed the schools. Efforts to rebuild were discussed but nothing came to fruition. The last president of the seminary, Pastor Thoralf Hoff, was a leading figure in bringing coeducation to Luther College in Decorah, Iowa. The Conservatory’s music director, Carl Youngdahl, moved to Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and built a well-known program there. 


Sources to explore in the NAHA Archives:
Lutheran Ladies' Seminary Papers
 

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