Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church 🇺🇸

Located at 2650 Farnam Street in Midtown Omaha, Nebraska, Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church offers you a chance to visit a landmark deep in American religious history. Thought to be the very first Lutheran congregation organized west of the Missouri River, this historic community traces its roots back to November 1858 when Reverend Henry Kuhns conducted the initial services for 14 founding members, supported by local banker Augustus Kountze.

Originally organized as Emanuel's Evangelical Lutheran Church, the congregation moved from its early downtown sites—including an 1885 structure named for Kountze's father—into its current home, which opened in 1906. As you explore this midtown destination, you are standing in a place that grew so rapidly it claimed to be the largest Lutheran congregation in the world by 1916 with over 2,000 members, and the largest in the United States during the 1920s.

Over the decades, Kountze expanded by establishing neighborhood Sunday Schools that became independent Omaha churches, weathered World War I controversy, and hosted major national conventions in 1887 and 1940. Following extensive remodeling for its building's 2006 centennial and celebrating its 150th congregational anniversary in 2008, Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church remains a compelling stop for history enthusiasts.

What to see at Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church

• Thought to be the first Lutheran congregation organized west of the Missouri River
• Historic 1906 building located at 2650 Farnam Street in Midtown Omaha
• Claimed as the largest Lutheran congregation in the world in 1916
• Mother church to multiple Omaha congregations sparked by its Sunday Schools

Visiting tips

Take time to admire the historic 1906 architecture in Midtown Omaha, which was extensively remodeled and repaired for its 2006 centennial.

How long: 1-2 hours · Best time: Daytime

How to get there & what’s nearby

Kountze Memorial Lutheran Church is easy to reach on Omaha’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Joslyn Art Museum and St. Frances Cabrini Catholic Church. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Omaha travel guide.