Our History
The story of Northwestern Publishing House (NPH) stretches nearly 150 years, with our first roots in bookselling. Publishing began over 130 years ago.
On October 8, 1891, after 15 years as the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod bookstore, a new combined bookstore and printing operation moved to 310 North Third Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Operations began on two floors of a 25- by 70-foot brick building. Most of the publications produced in this period were published in German.
The fledgling business immediately took over the printing of church and school materials for the synod. Rapid growth and frequent changes marked the ensuing years. A catechism, a primer, reading books, a treasury of songs, a hymnbook, a theological quarterly, and a three-volume dogmatics soon filled the building. By 1897, success forced the first of two moves to another building on Third Street in Milwaukee.Just after the turn of the century in 1902, NPH moved to a third location on Third Street, occupying a spacious three-story building that was to serve as our home for the next 12 years. The Lord laid the foundation for productive years to come.
All of the Third Street buildings were rented, leading the Board of Directors to plan for building our own structure. In 1913 a lot was acquired on Fourth Street, and in 1914 a nearly 12,000-square-foot, three-story concrete structure was erected at a cost of $34,214.70.
With room for expansion and ample production capability, NPH entered its second stage of growth. The Northwestern Lutheran appeared in 1914, and The Junior Northwestern, in 1918. New books were being printed as fast as the presses could produce them.
By our 50th anniversary in 1941, the Lord had turned the publishing house into a flourishing operation with over 30 employees, a modern printing and bindery operation, and an ever-expanding product line.
During the 1940s, change again confronted NPH. In 1946, due to a new arena in downtown Milwaukee, the stately old publishing house had to be razed. After a long search involving dozens of properties, the Board of Directors decided to relocate to an existing structure on West North Avenue. In 1949 operations were moved and a new publishing phase began.
The 1950s marked a significant milestone in NPH's operation. Four-color printing became a dominant force, and new and different types of publications appeared. In 1956, NPH published Galatians, our first professional commentary. Meditations, a devotional periodical, was introduced in 1957. Increasing numbers of people in church were beginning to benefit from the publishing house’s products.In 1966, NPH was granted 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status, which means that NPH is recognized as a non-profit and tax-exempt organization by the Internal Revenue Service. Thus, all of our funding for expenses and the development of new products and services comes from the generous support of Christians who use our resources to help spread the gospel message.
As our market expanded, it became apparent that our existing equipment would not economically meet all of our production needs. As a result, in 1983 the Board of Directors voted to end all printing and binding operations at the publishing house and to utilize outside sources instead. Then, in 1985, NPH moved to a facility in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, where we stayed for 34 years.
The Wauwatosa location featured a retail store in addition to offices and warehouse space. God blessed NPH with great growth there with the releases of the People’s Bible series of commentaries, the 1993 WELS hymnal, and the Christ-Light curriculum. In 1997, NPH created and maintained our first website, featuring the ability to sell resources online. The retail space also underwent a beautiful expansion project as demand for products grew.
As time went along, sales from the e-commerce site began to outpace those of the store. The shopping world continued to evolve because of the World Wide Web, and several major Christian bookstore chains cut back or even closed. Our retail unit was also affected by this change in consumer behavior, and we came to the difficult decision to close the store in April 2017. As a matter of good stewardship and smart business, we also closed our warehouse and distribution areas, moving them to a third-party logistics company in Bolingbrook, IL. NPH was able to plan this close and downsizing very well, offering resume and job search assistance, as well as spiritual counseling, to employees who were let go during this time.
In 2019, the Wauwatosa location was sold, and the offices were moved to the WELS Center for Mission and Ministry in Waukesha, WI. A worldwide pandemic ensued and, once again, we could see God’s hand of guidance during the difficult times of 2015-2020. In fact, work on a new WELS hymnal was happening during this time, and the suite of hymnal resources was released in 2021.
By God’s grace, NPH remains on solid financial footing as we continue our ministry and business. We continue to embrace the ongoing changes in the publishing industry. God’s Word is constant and unchanging, but the ways to reach people with his Word are always changing. While printed books and other materials remain important, Northwestern Publishing House will continue to explore new ways to reach and meet the needs of those we serve, in ways that are relevant to them. Whether through e-books, apps, downloadable content, or social media, NPH fulfills its mission of delivering biblically sound, Christcentered resources within the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod and beyond.
This is our story of nearly 150 years under God, publishing the materials that allow us to proclaim his salvation day after day. It is a story about God’s people doing God’s work and experiencing God’s blessings each and every day. The complete story points us to Jesus, who wants us to share his Word. We eagerly look forward to continuing in his service.