DRY VALLEY CHURCH

By Mary Swendener

County & Community History • Entry T36

Early in the spring of 1909, Rev. L.D. Pearson, a missionary of the Congregational Sunday School work, organized a little Sunday School at Wells, Cherry County Nebraska. One year later, Rev. W.D. King, pastor at large, covered the same field passed over by Rev. Pearson, the previous spring in the interest of Sunday School organized by Mr. Pearson.

Seeing the great need of Sunday School and church service, Rev. King arranged for the Congregational Sunday School Mis-sionaries to hold a series of tent meetings at Wells, Nebraska in August 1910, conducted by Rev. J.D. Stewart, Superintendent of the Congregetional Church, assisted by Rev. Fred L. Hall and L.O. Pearson, missionaries. At the conclusion of these meetings the people of Dry Valley neighborhood, succee-ded in arranging for a similar service, two weeks later, at the Dry Valley school house about 8 miles southwest of Wells.

The result of these meetings was the organization of the “Dry Valley Union Con-gregational Church'', at Curlew, Nebraska September 12, 1910.

In the spring of 1911, preparations were begun for the erection of a church building by the Dry Valley Congregational Church. The cornerstone for the new building was layed by Mr. E.L. Holland, who lived in the valley north of the church.

Robert Boyer gave the land for the church and cemetery. It is located in Sec. 6 Twp. 20N, Rng. 32W.

The new church building was dedicated December 8, 1912. There were several differ-ent pastors during the years. One of the last was Rev. N.H. Hawkins.

In 1924 the church withdrew from the Congregational Church, in regard to “Missionary activities''. Sunday School was held every Sunday until the early 1940's. The Methodist Ministers from Mullen would hold services occasionally.

For years, all the community schools would hold a combination Christmas Program in the church. Around 1958, a “Methodist Mobile Minister,'' `Pop' Fabre, held services most of the winter.

After years of disuse the church became quite run down, so in 1986-87, efforts to restore it began.