Ronne and two other men set out from Vermillion and travelled north as far as Sioux Falls before turning back south.

The site near the convergence of Brule Creek with the Missouri River was chosen due to its landmark location and proximity to a natural wood for timber.

[1]: 14, 16  John N. Nesse, St. Paul's first pastor, built the first parsonage on his personal property between 1869 and 1870, about 0.75 miles (1.21 km) south of the church site.

[1]: 14–15 Peter Oliver Moe, a Norwegian-American architect from Minneapolis, was hired to design a new church building.

Its front facade faces east, towards 475th Avenue, and contains two large towers on either corner, which both have entrance doors.

Its wrought-iron and brick gate was built in 1930, and it is surrounded by a chain link and wire fence.

There are about 25 rows of graves running from north to south, with a single east–west pathway bisecting the cemetery.

A stone boulder near the gate contains a two plaques: one commemorating the site of the first church, and another listing the 1863 founding members.