Washington Prairie Lutheran Church traces its roots to the Little Iowa Congregations, one of the first Norwegian Lutheran congregations west of the Mississippi. Washington Prairie was the spiritual center of the Decorah Norwegian settlement and the home congregation of its first permanent pastor, Ulrik Vilhelm Koren. Pastor Koren and his wife Elisabeth arrived on December 22, 1853. Pastor Koren was instrumental in bringing Luther College to Decorah. Hymn #356 in the Lutheran Book of Worship, "Oh, Sing Jubilee to the Lord," was written by Pastor Koren.