The People's Unitarian Church, at 1640 N St. in

Ord, Nebraska Ord is a city in Valley County, Nebraska, Valley County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 2,112 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census. It is the county seat of Valley County, Nebraska, Valley County. History Ord was platted in ...

, was built in 1901. It was listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

in 1984. In 2017, it was removed from the National Register. It has been described as perhaps one of the most unusual church buildings in the state, as it has a square, brick first level, about below grade, and a wood-shingled octagonal second level. The second level holds the church meeting hall, approximately in diameter. As of 1983, it was one of only two octagonal churches in Nebraska (the other being the First Congregational Church at Naponee, in Franklin County, NRHP-listed in 1982, a one-story 1887-built frame structure). It was built for cost of about $2,500, and it served as a church only from 1901 to 1911. The Ord church was formed as a Unitarian Society in 1899 by parishioners of Rev. A. H. Tyrer, who was forced to resign from the Episcopal Church for his liberal views. The church had financial difficulties, discontinued services in 1911, and disbanded in 1914. The church building was sold to the Commodore Foote Post No. 40 of the

Grand Army of the Republic The Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) was a fraternal organization composed of veterans of the Union Army (United States Army), Union Navy (United States Navy, U.S. Navy), and the United States Marine Corps, Marines who served in the American Ci ...

. It served as a club and meeting hall for that group, then from 1921 to 1961 it served in the same way for the Ord Fidelity Post No. 38 of the

American Legion The American Legion, commonly known as the Legion, is an Voluntary association, organization of United States, U.S. war veterans headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. It comprises U.S. state, state, Territories of the United States, U.S. terr ...

. As of 1983, it was in good condition, little changed from its construction. with Up to 1983, Unitarian Society churches were known to have been formed in just five Nebraska towns and cities. The only other NRHP-listed Unitarian church in the state was the

First Unitarian Church of Omaha The First Unitarian Church of Omaha, Nebraska is a Unitarian Universalist Church located at 3114 Harney Street in the Midtown area. History First Unitarian Church of Omaha was incorporated on August 22, 1869, by twenty-six men and women. ...

References

Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska Churches completed in 1901 Buildings and structures in Valley County, Nebraska National Register of Historic Places in Valley County, Nebraska Octagonal buildings in the United States Former National Register of Historic Places in Nebraska {{Nebraska-church-stub