Monday, May 27, 2013

Emmanuel Lutheran Church

In Dakota City, Nebraska stands as the first and oldest Lutheran Church built in Nebraska, Emmanuel Lutheran Church. constructed in 1860, it has an interesting history.

Chronology:
1850 - Reverend Henry W. Kuhns was a missionary and the first pastor was sent by the Allegheny Synod to Nebraska Territory.

November 1850 - Rev. Kuhns first preached in the front room of the local hotel called Bates House.

1859 - The Sunday School was begun by C.F. Eckhart, a member of the Lutheran Church in Dakota City.

July 22, 1859 - The church was formally organized.

Plans were started for the building of the church, but their idea of moving an abandoned store from the abandoned town of Pacific City came to an end when a prairie fire destroyed the building as it was being moved to Dakota City.

1860 - The present church was designed and built by Augustus T. Haase, a local carpenter and a member of the Emmanuel Lutheran congregation, at a total cost of $2,000. The building also served periodically as a Territorial courthouse, and religious services were still held on Sunday as usual. The church stands today as a proud monument to the tenacity and strength of purpose of the early Dakota County settlers

The Lutheran Church met in Dakota City for a number of years but no records earlier than 1867 have been found.

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