Emmanuel Lutheran Church, Dakota City, NE - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

The church is now maintained and preserved as a museum by the Dakota County Historical Society. It is used for special events but is not open on a regular basis.

A Nebraska Historical marker at the site gives the history of the church:

"Near here stands the first Lutheran church building constructed in Nebraska. It has occupied this site since 1860.

The congregation was first served by Reverend Henry W. Kuhns, a missionary sent by the Allegheny Synod to Nebraska Territory. Kuhns preached his first sermon in the front room of the Bates House (hotel) in November 1850 and formally organized the church on July 22, 1859.

The membership immediately made plans for building, but their effort of moving an abandoned store from the abandoned town of Pacific City was frustrated when the structure was destroyed by a prairie fire while being moved to Dakota City.

This church was designed and built by Augustus T. Haase, a local carpenter and member of the Emmanuel Lutheran congregation, at a cost of $2,000. For several years the building also served periodically as a Territorial courthouse, with religious services being held on Sunday as usual. Samuel Aughey, a leading scientist of the period, was the second pastor to serve the church.

This old church still stands as a monument to the steadfastness of purpose of the early settler and as a symbol of pioneer religious life."

The church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1969.

Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1860 Age of Church building determined by?: Historical Society If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Lutheran Street address of Church: 1500 Hickory St. Dakota City, NE USA 68731 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   03/13/2012 wildernessmama visited it