Platte County

The Presbyterian Congregation of Columbus Nebraska was established on January 30, 1870, following a series of meetings starting in 1869, under the supervision of Reverend Sheldon Jackson, appointed by the Missouri River Presbytery. Initial services were held at members’ homes, including those of George W. Brown and Mrs. A. J. Arnold. George W. Brown, Marshall Smith, and E. A. Gerrard were among the first elders, and trustees included Brown, Leander Gerrard, and Peter Becker. The church building, now the American Legion Hall, was erected in 1878 and remodeled in 1884. The church was formally incorporated on June 22, 1874, with a leadership team including Reverend A. S. Foster and Marshall Smith. Subsequent filings in 1896 updated the list of trustees.

The Congregational Society in Columbus was organized in 1865, and its initial church was dedicated in 1867 at 960-22nd Ave, later moving to new sites in 1879 and 1890 due to expansion. Prominent early members included the Suttons, Wells, Bauer, and others. The first consignment of lumber for the church was transported free by Union Pacific Railroad. The church ultimately federated with the Presbyterian Church. By 1922, only one charter member, Mrs. H. P. Coolidge, was still alive; several other longstanding members were Mrs. Theda Coolidge, Mr. and Mrs. C. G. Hickock, Mrs. McCray, and Mrs. Whitmoyer.