Northwestern College (Fergus Falls, Minnesota)

The school was built based on a need for a local academy for Scandinavian immigrant children within the greater area.

[1] It offered Academic, Normal, Preparatory, Commerce, Music, and Art departments of study,[2] and was funded by the Northwestern College Corporation of the Minnesota Conference (Red River Valley Conference after it was formed in 1912) of the Augustana Synod.

[3] The students also participated in prayer circles,[3] the chorus, band, orchestra, Mission Study Class, Gladstone debating society, Glee Club, the Athletic Association, and the Handel Oratorio Society.

Despite donations, including $6,000 from railroad executive James J. Hill,[3] debt eventually led to the school's closure when the conference cut off aid from the North Star Corporation of the Augustana Synod, and the Northwestern Corporation was forced to close the school.

Proceeds from the sale benefited conference charities, and a Lutheran Bible school continued education in the place of Northwestern.

Northwestern College in Fergus Falls, Minnesota
A.C. Youngdahl was the school's first president from 1901 to 1910.
Rev. Carl Solomonson was president of Northwestern from 1915 to 1919.