Quester News Releases
A MATTER OF FAITH AND HISTORY
First Presbyterian to celebrate Olde Town church's renovation
By Brody Hilgenkamp, Omaha World-Herald Staff Writer
First Presbyterian to celebrate Olde Town church's renovation
By Brody Hilgenkamp, Omaha World-Herald Staff Writer
The historic First Presbyterian Church in Bellevue was renovated this summer, and a dedication ceremony on Oct. 27 will commemorate the investment in preserving Nebraska’s oldest surviving church. Photo submitted by June Kouba
World wars, tornadoes, population booms — Bellevue’s historic First Presbyterian Church in Olde Towne has endured and experienced it all.
And while the congregation may have outgrown the quaint church and moved to a more spacious home, it still cherishes what the church represents and is inviting the community to celebrate a restoration of its steeple. The celebration will be Oct. 27 and begin with a 10 a.m. traditional worship service at the church, 2002 Franklin St. The Rev. Michael Elliot, the pastor at First Presbyterian, will lead the service. A dedication ceremony will follow at 11 a.m. where Ben Justman, Sarpy County Museum’s director, Lorraine Jeffus of The Questers and Mayor Rusty Hike will make remarks. “We feel very good about it,” Jeffus said. “The First Presbyterian congregation feels very good about it.” Built between 1856 and 1858 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, the church on Franklin Street is believed to be the oldest surviving church in Nebraska. “When they say First Presbyterian Church they mean it,” Justman said. First Presbyterian’s congregation used the church for 100 years until it outgrew the space. Though it no longer holds regular worship services, it is still a source of pride that stood sentry as the community and it grew, Justman said. It was there when Bellevue was slated as the capital of the Nebraska territory and Omaha was “just a seedy town to the north.” It survived the 1908 tornado that tore off the steeple. It watched as World War I came and went and was followed by the national mobilization of World War II. It was then, Justman said, that Bellevue shed its status as a quiet town. When the Martin Bomber Plant and Strategic Air Command arrived at Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue began to grow rapidly. Census data show Bellevue was only 527 people in 1900, and didn’t break 1,000 until the 1930 census, but by 1960 was 8,800 people and continued to grow. So did the church’s congregation, and eventually it outgrew the historic building and moved to its current location at 1220 Bellevue Blvd. S in 1958. “It’s not often that they hold religious services in there so I think it’s neat they’re going to commemorate this milestone,” he said. The church is still used for weddings, funerals and other events, and tours are available through the Bellevue Recreation Department. There have been 66 tours of the church since Oct. 1, 2018. “Anytime you can get the public into historic buildings, it’s fantastic,” Justman said. Jeffus, a Bellevue resident who is the immediate past president of The Questers international organization, made sure tour buses visited Bellevue’s historic sites, including the church, when Nebraska hosted the Questers’ international convention in 2011. “There’s lots of history right here in Bellevue,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful, sweet church.” She approached the city about restoring the church’s exterior, which had deteriorated after birds and wasps and other animals nested there and water damage was rotting the top of the spire. The city agreed to pay the $89,000 to restore the church. “I probably made a nuisance of myself,” Jeffus said. Work on the church began in July and was completed in September. Denise Seaman, another member of the committee organizing the dedication ceremony, said they enjoyed restoring the church and had great cooperation from the city. “We’re just pleased Rusty Hike and the City Council came up with some money to restore the steeple,” she said. Justman said his speech will focus on the 100 years the congregation used the church. He said it was important for communities to preserve its landmarks. “In the blink of an eye they could be gone and with them goes a piece of our history,” he said.
World wars, tornadoes, population booms — Bellevue’s historic First Presbyterian Church in Olde Towne has endured and experienced it all.
And while the congregation may have outgrown the quaint church and moved to a more spacious home, it still cherishes what the church represents and is inviting the community to celebrate a restoration of its steeple. The celebration will be Oct. 27 and begin with a 10 a.m. traditional worship service at the church, 2002 Franklin St. The Rev. Michael Elliot, the pastor at First Presbyterian, will lead the service. A dedication ceremony will follow at 11 a.m. where Ben Justman, Sarpy County Museum’s director, Lorraine Jeffus of The Questers and Mayor Rusty Hike will make remarks. “We feel very good about it,” Jeffus said. “The First Presbyterian congregation feels very good about it.” Built between 1856 and 1858 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970, the church on Franklin Street is believed to be the oldest surviving church in Nebraska. “When they say First Presbyterian Church they mean it,” Justman said. First Presbyterian’s congregation used the church for 100 years until it outgrew the space. Though it no longer holds regular worship services, it is still a source of pride that stood sentry as the community and it grew, Justman said. It was there when Bellevue was slated as the capital of the Nebraska territory and Omaha was “just a seedy town to the north.” It survived the 1908 tornado that tore off the steeple. It watched as World War I came and went and was followed by the national mobilization of World War II. It was then, Justman said, that Bellevue shed its status as a quiet town. When the Martin Bomber Plant and Strategic Air Command arrived at Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue began to grow rapidly. Census data show Bellevue was only 527 people in 1900, and didn’t break 1,000 until the 1930 census, but by 1960 was 8,800 people and continued to grow. So did the church’s congregation, and eventually it outgrew the historic building and moved to its current location at 1220 Bellevue Blvd. S in 1958. “It’s not often that they hold religious services in there so I think it’s neat they’re going to commemorate this milestone,” he said. The church is still used for weddings, funerals and other events, and tours are available through the Bellevue Recreation Department. There have been 66 tours of the church since Oct. 1, 2018. “Anytime you can get the public into historic buildings, it’s fantastic,” Justman said. Jeffus, a Bellevue resident who is the immediate past president of The Questers international organization, made sure tour buses visited Bellevue’s historic sites, including the church, when Nebraska hosted the Questers’ international convention in 2011. “There’s lots of history right here in Bellevue,” she said.
“It’s a beautiful, sweet church.” She approached the city about restoring the church’s exterior, which had deteriorated after birds and wasps and other animals nested there and water damage was rotting the top of the spire. The city agreed to pay the $89,000 to restore the church. “I probably made a nuisance of myself,” Jeffus said. Work on the church began in July and was completed in September. Denise Seaman, another member of the committee organizing the dedication ceremony, said they enjoyed restoring the church and had great cooperation from the city. “We’re just pleased Rusty Hike and the City Council came up with some money to restore the steeple,” she said. Justman said his speech will focus on the 100 years the congregation used the church. He said it was important for communities to preserve its landmarks. “In the blink of an eye they could be gone and with them goes a piece of our history,” he said.