Bellevue--Anderson Grove Presbyterian Church

Built in 1893, the Anderson Grove Presbyterian church was originally a Union church. Services for both Presbyterians and Methodists were held there. The two congregations would hold services on alternate Sundays in order to share the church building. In 1914 an addition was made to the south side of the church, where it stands today as the Sunday school room. Then in 1921 Presbyterians took title to the land and the Methodists built another church. Each year the Sunday School has had a special Christmas program. Beginning in 1990 special Easter programs were added. The church still holds services today. 

This church building is located on the east side of 36th street just across from the Anderson Grove Cemetery. The name Anderson Grove was given to the area and used by the cemetery association because the land with the grove was owned at that time by Samuel Anderson who brought his family to Nebraska in 1855-56. The cemetery was also referred to as the Bailey cemetery. This is because Thomas Jefferson Bailey was an organizer and trustee of the Anderson Grove Cemetery Association. Thomas was born in Peoria, Illinois, Jan. 10, 1930. The association had existed since March 21, 1874. Building of the Church was finished in 1893 and the dedication was held that same year on December 3. Originally built so that Christian worshippers would have a church closer to where they lived. Prior to the Anderson Grove Church Presbyterians and other Christian worshippers would have to travel about 5 miles east to the Church's that were located in the town of Bellevue.¹ For this reason the Anderson Grove Church was originally a Union church with congregations for multiple denominations.²

This church's founding is largely attributed to the married couple Samantha and Amos Gates.¹ Samantha was born December 24th 1833 in West Jefferson, Madison County, Ohio. Amos was born on September 5th, 1929 also in West Jefferson, Madison County, Ohio. The couple moved to Omaha in June, 1855. Once there Amos Gates would buy 160 acres of land in what is now Sarpy County. There they built a log cabin near Papillion Creek. Samantha Gates is credited as the single biggest influence in getting the church services arranged and a congregation together. In the spring and summer of 1893, Samantha would help organize Saturday socials to help defray the construction costs. Samantha, who had a background in teaching, also intended for the Church to host a Sunday school for children. Her husband Amos Gates was responsible for the family business of farming, stock raising and banking. The Gates land eventually encompassed more than 1200 acres.

Land for the church was purchased from the Anderson Grove Cemetery for $1.³ The cemetery is across the street from the church. In the church's founding charter there is a debt limit of $500. While working under the constraint of this debt limit the church would make additions to the building. In June of 1910 a vote was held to add a church door and porch, screens on the windows and general repairs to the property. There was also a floor furnace built with a stairway going down to the furnace. This work was done from 1910 to 1911. In 1914 an addition would be made to the church. It was a room added onto the south side of the church for the purposes of holding Sunday school. This room is today still called the "Sunday School Room". In 1949, stained glass windows were installed.

In 1984 the Church would publish a book called "Recipes from Anderson Grove Presbyterian Church".⁵ The church continues to hold services at the present time and still abides by the charter mandate of having no more than $500 of debt.

Photo's and files from the Sarpy County Museum

1.Townley, Wendy. “Anderson Grove church celebrates 110 years of worship on 36th Street.”

Bellevue Leader (December 2003) https://www.andersongrove.org/page/about-us

2.Swanson, Anne. “Historical ghosts hover over Anderson Grove.” Citadels of faith (February 

1972)

3.Deed of Trust, Enoch McCarty to Anderson Grove Cemetery Association, signed by Enoch 

McCarty in the presence of T.E. Gledhill and J.M. Gates before J.R. Maddock, Justice of the Peace, March 25, 1893, State of NEbraska, Sarpy County. Filed May 19, 1894 at 8 a.m., J.W. Wilson, Sarpy County Clerk.

4.Andreas, A T. History of the State of Nebraska Vol II. Evansville, Ind: Unigraphic, Inc, 1975. 

5.Recipes from Anderson Grove Presbyterian Church, Omaha, Nebraska. Waverly, Iowa: G & R  

Publishing Company, 1984.