Congregations within the synod used English as their primary language to connect with younger generations of English-speakers.
[1] The Northwest Synod covered a geographical territory from Milwaukee to Seattle, although few Lutherans lived between Minnesota and Washington.
[2] The Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary (also known as the Chicago Lutheran Divinity School) was founded in Chicago, Illinois, in 1920 and was moved a year later to Fargo, North Dakota, and the following year, to Minneapolis, Minnesota.
[3] The General Council later merged with the General Synod and the United Synod of the South to form the United Lutheran Church in 1918.
[2] The Northwest Synod had a total of ten presidents:[2] The Records of the English Evangelical Lutheran Synod of the Northwest are available for research use at Gustavus Adolphus College and Lutheran Church Archives.