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Little Church, Keystone

Church of Keystone 2015

The Little Church at Keystone is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Directions: Take Keystone Lake Road to McCarthy Street, Keystone and then turn north.  The Little Church is the 1st building on the right (east) side.

Little-Church2-400-2-300x198Built in a pioneer town that was too small for two churches, the Catholic/Protestant Little Church is a monument to religious harmony and cooperation. Eleven teenage girls helped raise the money to construct the church under the sponsorship of Georgia Paxton, wife of prominent rancher and businessman William A. Paxton.

Mrs. Paxton formed a chapter of the King’s Daughters, a service organization. The girls raised money for the church project by holding bake sales, suppers and bazaars, and asking their neighbors for donations. The girls raised 60% of the project’s total cost of $1,200, and Mrs. Paxton contributed the remaining 40%.

Completed in 1908, the Little Church has a Catholic altar at one end, and Protestant altar at the other. Special pews with reversible backs allowed 75 churchgoers to face either altar, depending on the service. Pope Leo XIII granted a dispensation for the dual faith church.

The dedication of the Little Church was held August 16, 1908, and was so well attended that many people had to stand on the lawn to hear the dedication address by the Very Rev. George A. Beecher, Dean of the Cathedral of Omaha, Nebraska.  The Dean praised the efforts of  Pearl Fenwick Dean, Theresa Feltz, Anna Scully Fenwick, May Holloway,  Lula Holloway, Margaret Leonard, Eleanor McCarthy, Margaret McCarthy, Josephine McGinley, Bertha Matthews, and Ethel Reese, adding that if eleven little girls could establish a church through their efforts, surely the able bodied men appointed as officers could and should lend every effort to support it.   Speaking on behalf of the King’s Daughters, Mrs. Paxton said, “Our work is now done, and it remains for you to accept and make use of the gift.”

The last regular services were held in 1949, but the Little Church is open to visitors by appointment.  Please call 308-726-2006 or 308-726-2482.

The front porch and sidewalk were added in 2015 as an Eagle Scout project by James Ryan of Keystone.

The Little Church of Keystone is now affiliated with the Keith County Historical Society.  Contributions for its ongoing maintenance needs may be made out to the Keith County Historical Society, with “Little Church maintenance” in the check’s memo line.  They may be mailed to the Keith County Historical Society at P.O. Box 5, Ogallala, NE 69153.

Recent renovations were assisted by a grant from the Keith County Visitors Committee.

(source:  “Keystone Memories” by Lorna Wendt)
(exterior photo: Keith County News)

 

Calendar of Events

Apr
26
Fri
8:00 pm Live Music at the Driftwood – Ty...
Live Music at the Driftwood – Ty...
Apr 26 @ 8:00 pm
Tyler Anthony will perform live at the Driftwood in Ogallala Friday, April 26 beginning at 8 p.m.  No cover charge. Full of gritty Southern Rock flare, Anthony’s influences include the Outlaw Country pioneers like Johnny[...]
May
3
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9:00 pm Live Music at the Driftwood – So...
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May 3 @ 9:00 pm
Southern Fryed returns to perform live at the Driftwood in Ogallala Friday, May 3 beginning at 9 p.m.  $10 cover charge. Known as one of the Rocky Mountain region’s hottest country acts, Southrn Fried brings[...]
May
11
Sat
all-day Catfish Classic
Catfish Classic
May 11 all-day
Come fish the annual Catfish Classic tournament May 11 at Lake McConaughy!  Call Chad Vogl at 308-355-2321 for more info.
May
13
Mon
7:00 pm Concert: Brassfire
Concert: Brassfire
May 13 @ 7:00 pm
Join the Ogallala Regional Arts Council for Brassfire Thursday, May 13 at 7 PM at the Ogallala Performing Arts Center. Honoring the trumpet through the music of Louis Armstrong, Herb Alpert and Doc Severinsen, Brassfire[...]