Paragon was home to Hartington area’s first Lutheran church

HARTINGTON — The need for spiritual guidance and a hunger for God’s word were strong in the hearts of Cedar County pioneers.

Time and progress have erased nearly all identifying landmarks of the Paragon Community, which was located two miles north and five miles east of Hartington, Nebraska — only the cemetery remains.

Using the cemetery as a point for directions, the Paragon Church was erected one-quarter mile south on the east side of the road in 1904.

Considerable emphasis has been placed on the Paragon community as it is here that the Lutherans first settled.

The Albert Erdenberger family homesteaded here in 1867, followed by the Bernard Olson family in 1869, the Martin Bottolfsen family and John Anderson family in 1870.

During 1870, Bernard Olson and Martin Bottolfsen made the journey through the roadless prairie to the Missouri River which they crossed by skiff, and waded through six feet high bottom grass and mosquito infested swamps to Gayville, in what was called Dakota Territory. Here they met with Rev. Emil Christensen, the first resident Lutheran missionary pastor in the territory. He arrived in the home of Bernard Olsen and held the first service Sept. 14, 1870. In the beginning, services were held once a year, later four times a year on Sundays with an occasional weekday service. The Bow Valley Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Congregation was formally organized September 1873 in the Bernard Olsen home.

Webster’s Dictionary defines ‘paragon’ as “a model of excellence or perfection; a pattern.”

On Jan. 12, 1904, members of the Bow Valley Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church who resided in the Paragon Community met and decided to build their own church. Five hundred and ten dollars was allowed to construct a building 34-foot long, 22-foot wide, and 12-feet high, with four windows on each side and a window and steeple above the entrance door.

The sharing of ministers with the Bow Valley Norwegian Evangelical Lutheran Church, later Trinity Lutheran Church, in Hartington, continued until the closing of the country church.

With the automobile changing the mode of transportation and better roads, the Paragon Church closed in 1944. The building was sold for $900 to the Assembly of God Church in Hartington in 1953.

It was moved to the southwest corner of the intersection of Main Street and Lemon Avenue in Hartington. Later it was remodeled into a house. That house was eventually torn down in the 2000s.