Story 61: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church
At 5410 Corby St. stands the largest building in the Country Club Historic District, and the only religious structure within the boundary of the original Country Club plat: St. Paul’s United Methodist Church.
Founded in 1930 through the merger of three nearby Methodist congregations—Walnut Hill, Benson, and Centenary—the new congregation comprised more than 1,100 members. According to church folklore, the name “St. Paul” came from a small child who, when asked to write down a suggestion for the church’s name, wrote, “If it’s going to be a church, let’s call it St. Paul.”
Harry F. Reed, an original Country Club homeowner at 2506 N. 55th St., served as president of the board of trustees, which spearheaded plans for a new church.
Architect Harvey C. Peterson, who had already designed numerous churches in Omaha, designed the new church in a Gothic style, with A. Borchman & Sons serving as general contractor.
In the fall of 1932, more than 200 people braved bitterly cold weather to lay the first cornerstone, and by June 1933, the congregation was able to come together under one roof for the first time.
Originally known as St. Paul Methodist Episcopal, the church became St. Paul United Methodist following the 1968 formation of the United Methodist Church. Today, it is more commonly known as St. Paul Benson, and remains an important architectural and religious feature of the neighborhood.
