Moses Merrill Mission

Moses Merrill Mission was a Baptist missionary station near Bellevue that consisted of a log structure built in 1837 with a schoolroom, living quarters, and two upstairs bedrooms. The building was constructed from poplar logs and designed to serve religious and educational purposes for the local Otoe community.

Baptist missionaries Moses and Eliza Merrill founded this mission in 1835 to offer religious instruction and education to the Otoe tribe. The effort grew from a desire to provide learning and faith-based services to the local Native American community.

The mission functioned as a place where the Otoe language was revitalized through translated religious texts and teaching materials. Education happened here with the community's own language at its center, shaping how knowledge was shared.

The original limestone chimney still stands on the site and gives a sense of the building's former size and structure. The location sits near Bellevue and is relatively accessible for visitors interested in exploring historical sites in the region.

Eliza Merrill planted cottonwood trees at the site that stood for over a century before being removed in 2016. These trees served as living reminders of the Merrill family's presence and shaped how visitors experienced the historical location for generations.