RICHLAND PRECINCT

St., was rented for $3.00 a month and services held there until fall. Rev. P.F. Mostrom was the first pastor.

   On April 10, 1906, twenty-two people became charter members of the Church. A new Church was built in the fall of 1906 at the cost of $4,363.52, and a parsonage in 1912 at a cost of $2,623.67. The Church was remodeled and renovated several times through the years.

   The Congregation became a member of the Swedish Evangelical Covenant of America in 1934. October, 1939, regular Swedish services were discontinued.

   On May 6, 1973, the Congregation broke ground for a new building at an approximate cost of $200,000 with a loan from Covenant properties. The old structure was used until the new church could be occupied.

   The first worship service was held on February 17, 1974 in the new building. The dismantling of the old Church was completed that fall. The Cross in the front of the new sanctuary was made from the art glass of the old Church.

   In September, 1981, the 75th anniversary of the Church was celebrated with former pastors attending. Since the beginning of the Church in 1906, forty-four classes have been confirmed, the first ones in Swedish. The 1922 class was the first to be confirmed in the English language.

   The present Pastor and family, Reverend and Mrs. Paul Spjut, Dana and David, desired to purchase their own home, so in 1978 the parsonage was sold.

   The membership of the church at this writing, November, 1982, is two hundred. The Church has been a means of salvation to many souls and a beacon of light in the community. Its members are grateful for the vision that was given to our forefathers that they gave to the Church.

   "Give us Eyes, O Lord, to see down the road to the endless joy that follows lives of devotion to Christ."

   The following pastors have served: 1906-1912 P.F. Mostrom; 1912-1916 F.O. Gustafson; 1917-1921 C.E. Peterson; 1921-1923 G.N. Tegnell; 1924-1935 Arvid Jones; 1936-1939 K.E. Pearson; 1939-1941 T.A. Thompson; 1942-1950 Ebert Turnquist; 1951-1953 Everett Swedenberg; 1954-1957 Eldor Langager; 1958-1962 Eldon Johnson; 1963-1965 Paul Webster; 1966-1976 Everett Wilson; 1977- Paul J. Spjut.

Grace Lutheran Church Swedeburg, Neb.

   The first nine settlers of this community arrived in 1869, but within a year the colony numbered forty persons. The Swedish Evangelical Congregation was organized at the Olaf Olson home on April 22, 1870. An overturned wagon box was used as a platform by the officiating officers for this organizational meeting. Pastor S.G. Larson served as the first Pastor conducting services every sixth week.

   The present parsonage was erected in 1889. In 1915, it was decided to build two churches, one to replace the old structure, the other to serve the Ceresco Community. Again seventy-three members and forty-five children joined Immanuel Lutheran Church in Ceresco.

   The name of Grace Lutheran was adopted in 1940. The Church has been active in its societies, services and outstanding in missionary emphasis. It is located four miles north of Ceresco in a farming community, and families are very conscientious in the practice of soil conservation. It is presently served by Pastor Richard Woolard.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, Ceresco, Neb. 1982

   Ceresco's Immanuel Lutheran Church had its beginnings 70 years ago. The Swedish Evangelical Lutheran Church had outgrown its facility in rural Swedeburg and in 1913 decided to split its membership into two buildings -- a new church in Ceresco and a new facility for the remaining parishioners in Swedeburg, now Grace Lutheran Church.

   The Ceresco church was built by its new parishioners under the supervision of Otto Landstrom, contractor. The basement was dug by horse-drawn scrapers; and bricks, sand and gravel were brought in by railroad cars and hauled by team and wagon to the site. After the old Swedeburg church was torn down, its lumber was used to frame up the Ceresco building.

   The cornerstone was laid in Ceresco in 1915 and the building was completed in 1916.

   It was not until January, 1919 that people attending the Ceresco church decided to petition the Swedeburg congregation for permission to organize a separate congregation in Ceresco. The petition asked for letters of dismissal for 21 members, and that the property there be transferred to the new congregation.

   Separation was amicably granted January 16, 1919, and other Lutherans from the Valparaiso and Davey areas joined the former Swedeburg members. The Ceresco congregation was named "Immanuel -- God With Us."

   Rev. C.O. Gulleen, then pastor at Swedeburg, was called as vice pastor to serve until Rev. C.O. Granlund, to be ordained that June, would arrive in August, 1919. A new parsonage was also completed that year and the congregation was received into the Nebraska Conference of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church.

   Immanuel is one of the youngest congregations in the conference and the first whose minutes were recorded in the English language from its organization. During the first year, Swedish was used at the Sunday morning worship service and English at the evening service. Swedish was discontinued in 1926.

   All who joined the church in the first year were considered charter members. The membership at that time numbered 75 communicant members and 45 children.

   In 1920 a new Reuter organ was purchased at a cost of $3,000. Mrs. Elmer Eliason was the first organist.

   After serving four years, Rev. C.O. Granlund was replaced by Rev. A.H. Peterson, who served the congregation for the next 26 years. Pastors who followed him were Rev. Earl Hedman (1951-1953), Rev. Nels E. Olson (1954-1961), Rev. Glen Stenholm (1962-1968), Rev. James Munson (1971-1975), and Rev. Richard Woolard, the current pastor.

   Since 1963, the congregation has been part of the Lutheran Church in America following the merger that year of the Augustana Evangelical Lutheran Church, the American Evangelical Lutheran Church, the Finnish Evangelical Lutheran Church, and the United Lutheran Church.

   The United Methodist Church of Ceresco was started when a group of citizens organized a Sunday School with a leader in charge. The first meetings were held in the homes. Circuit Riders and ministers who visited these small Sunday Schools about once a month would serve the people on their circuit. Later, Sunday School was held in the little schoolhouse which was located at 5th and Main Streets. A minister by the name of Irb conducted services there. Also Sunday School and church services were held upstairs in the Chandler Hall in Ceresco.

   A church was built in 1887 at 217 W. Spruce and dedicated Nov. 20, 1887, by W.G. Miller D.D., the Presiding Elder of the Lincoln District. The building cost $1800. D.Y. Black was the first pastor of the church.

   The lots which made up the old church property and the lots to the west were purchased from the western Townlot Company. Mr. Rouse was the contractor and George Boyce, the carpenter. The plastering was done by Addison Meese. The old church was one of the first public buildings in Ceresco. It was located on the south side of Spruce Street between Second and Third Streets.

   The church prospered initially, then endured some lean years. In 1894, this church shared in common with the whole country the disasters and discouragements which came with panics, riots, strikes, droughts, and crop failures. Many homes were destitute, but men did not lose their faith in God. By 1899, the town of Ceresco and the church had suffered greatly since some of its best people had moved. A revival during the winter resulted in the conversion of a large number of people.

Ceresco Methodist Church

   In 1900, by mutual consent, the Ceresco and Davey Methodist Churches were united with Rev. J.W. Seabrook as pastor. The debt on the Ceresco church was paid and the building was painted. During 1901 and 1902 the first Methodist parson-

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age was built. Milton Lowell, assisted by his son, Will Lowell, erected the building on the property adjoining the church on the west. The Rev. and Mrs. A.S. Buell were the first residents.

   Years of faithful service by the devoted members kept the church from closing its doors during the years prior to 1906. Ladies of the church met and organized a Ladies Aid Society with Mrs. Rose Loder as the first president.

   In 1909-1911, while the Rev. M.C. Smith was pastor, the ground was excavated beneath the church building and a furnace was installed.

   In 1921, with the Rev. M.M. Wolff as pastor, the church was raised, a basement built, and a pastor's study added at a cost of $2500. The new basement and cornerstone were dedicated Nov. 27, 1921 by Dr. J.F. Boeye, District Superintendent of Lincoln District. In 1924, a chancel and classrooms were added for $2,000. A.W. Ahrendts was pastor.

   Rev. Raymond Sandsted came in January of 1938 and served until November, 1940. It was during this time that the merger of the Methodist churches took place, and the word "Episcopal" was dropped from the name.

   The residence of the late Hugo Carlson at 176 S. Second St. was purchased for a parsonage in the summer of 1943 at a cost of 2700 dollars. The Rev. and Mrs. Moles were the first occupants. The old parsonage was sold to Walter Smith.

   Rev. James K. Irwin assumed his duties in July, 1945. In 1946 the church basement was further enlarged, remodeled and a new furnace installed at a cost of $3,600. During the pastorate of the Rev. Robert Linder the new Baldwin organ was purchased.

   The Rev. Laverne Thomas arrived in 1956 and during his ministry the memorial stained glass windows were installed.

   The new church at 2nd and Park Streets was built during the ministry of Rev. Richard Ludden. It was consecrated April 30, 1967 by Dr. Richard Carolyn, Lincoln Distract Superintendent. The Rev. John Toley was assigned to begin his pastorate July 1, 1968 with the merging of the Evangelical United Brethren and the Methodist Churches into the United Methodist Church.

   A united effort was put forth during the fall and winter of 1974-75 and the debt on the new church was paid, and the mortgage was burned at a special service Nov. 17, 1975. The building was dedicated by Bishop Don W. Holter.

   In June 1982, the Rev. Jay Schmidt came to serve the Ceresco church and its people.

Swedeburg Lutheran Cemetery by Grace Lutheran Church

   On May 3 1871, a committee consisting of P. Liliedahl and Johannes Erickson was elected to select a burial ground. January 15, 1872, a forty-acre tract of land was purchased for a church site and burial ground.

   The cemetery was laid out and the first church was built adjoining the burial plot. As lots were sold, the funds were used to establish a Perpetual Fund. The interest from this fund was used for the upkeep of the cemetery proper.

   As the years passed, this method of funding the cemetery was no longer adequate. On December 6, 1966, at the Congregational Meeting it was voted to deed the remaining land to the Cemetery Association, the income to be used toward the upkeep of the cemetery.

   The cemetery located four miles north of Ceresco is well kept. All large shrubs and trees have been removed and Colorado blue spruce and pin oak trees have been planted on the south and west boundaries.

   A new entrance gate was installed in 1981 in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Harry Erickson.

"Sometimes God plucks a tiny rosebud
Sometimes a blossom fair,
Sometimes they are quite faded
Before He calls them there."

Fridhem Cemetery Swedeburg Covenant Church

   One mile south and one mile west of Swedeburg is the location of the cemetery called Fridhem, "Home of Peace." It is the cemetery owned by the Swedeburg Covenant Church which is located in Swedeburg.

   The property was acquired soon after the organization of the Church in 1876 and it was the location of the first Church which was built in 1877. At that time, the church was called the Evangelical Lutheran Mission Church, Fridhem.

   The first church, built on that site in 1877, was a comparatively small building to which an addition was built in 1889. That building burned when struck by lightning in 1896. Another building was constructed on the same location, and was used until 1909 when a new church was built in Swedeburg. The church on the cemetery site was then torn down. Those original buildings were located about where the driveway is, a distance south of the gate.

   The oldest graves seem to be located west and also south of where the church buildings were located. Many of the charter members have been buried in Fridhem Cemetery and also three former Pastors of the Church. The graves of Rev. John E. Swanson, Rev. P.F. Mostrom, and Rev. A.S. Tornbloom, all former Pastors, can be found in this cemetery. Former missionaries to China, Rev. and Mrs. C.J. Nelson have been buried there, as have children of former Pastors, Clarence Tornbloom, Vashti Nystrom, and Alden Almquist.

   A cemetery is part of the history and part of the heritage of any church and community. The inscriptions found on some of the early gravestones tell of the hardships and the pathos of pioneer families. Sumbitted by V. Martinson

   The three redwood crosses on the hill just east of Ceresco were put up in 1967 by the three churches in Ceresco. They serve not only as a year-round reminder of the Easter message but as a symbol of the ecumenical spirit in the town. The hill is the site of Easter morning sunrise services. Many travelers view the three crosses as they travel on Highway 77.

Creative Tree Pre-school Ceresco, Neb.

   The first one-room school in Ceresco was built in the summer of 1872 in the vicinity of 5th and Main Street. Mrs. John Riddle was the first teacher, followed by Nina Flore and Florence Hillman.

   In 1911, bonds were issued to erect the brick building that now houses the Ceresco Elementary School. The old schoolhouse was sold, moved downtown, and now comprises a small part of Ernie's Store. The first class to be graduated from a twelve grade school in Ceresco received their diplomas in 1918.

   In 1928, another bond issue was floated to remodel the brick building and add a gymnasium. This allowed basketball to be added to the program. E.O. Lindberg was Superintendent at that time.

   Ceresco fielded its first eight-man football team in the fall of 1949 with the help of the volunteer firemen. Lawrence Bausch was the Superintendent and the team was coached by James F. Hunter.

   In 1961, bonds were again issued to build a new gymnasium building to the west of the school. The old gym was remodeled into classrooms.

   Throughout the years, Ceresco High School made itself known in many state activities. Students earned honors in speech music, football, basketball, wrestling and track. Teams were known as the Ceresco Eagles, and the school colors were orange and black.

   The Class of 1967 was the last to graduate from

Ceresco Public School District #31

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