TIMELINE
1839 Pike Grove Presbyterian Church organized with eight members (Rev. Peet founder – located where the Oakwood Cemetery is now at Hwy 31 and County Road E. It was moved one half mile north and completed in 1848.)
1840 First Methodist church building completed in Somers (corner of county line Road and I-94 called Kellogs Corners)
1842 Pike Grove Bible Society organized (They handed out Bibles.)
1842 Oakwood Cemetery Association established (corner of Green Bay road and Somers Road donated by William Smith. First burial John Ozanne son of Rev. James Ozanne – February 12, 1844)
1845 Presbyterian Church erected on Green Bay Road (Trail) (present day County Road E (12th Street) and Hwy 31)
1848 Wisconsin became the 30th State in the Union
1850 Southport became Kenosha (Indian name for “Pike” meaning pointed projection or sharp tip, the center of a shield or head of an arrow.
1853 Somers first appeared on public records
1861-1865 Civil War
1863 Methodist Church built
1869 Burr Oak School built
1886 Presbyterian Church moved from Green Bay Road (Trail) to Somers
1889 Methodist Church moved to village
1917-1919 USA role in World War I (Armistice Day 11-11-1918)
1918 Methodist and Presbyterian became Somers Federated Church
1921 Somers Federated Church became First Congregational Church in the remodeled Presbyterian Building
1926 Ladies Aid Society divided and formed the Pilgrim Daughters Circle
1939 World War II in Europe 1939-1945; in Pacific 1941-1945
1943 First mention of Christian Service Organization (a ladies organization) disbanded in 2004
1948 We became the United Church of Christ
1950-1953 Korean War
1957 National merger of several churches creating the United Church of Christ
1958 Five acre building site given by Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Hendricksen
1959 Ground breaking ceremony held on April 19, 1959
1960 May 15th – Cornerstone laid
1960 October 16th – Dedication of church
1963 Church name changed to Somers United Church of Christ
1963 Purchased parsonage with two acres of land across road from church
1965 Church purchased Burr Oak School for Sunday School and recreational purposes
1965 Somers Independence Day Parade took place
1974 Burning of the mortgage
1978 Sunday School addition (dedicated February 25, 1979)
1989 Sesquicentennial Celebration of Somers Church (150 years)
1989 Somers United Church and Community Foundation established
1992 Storage Facility built
1994 Inclusive name change to Somers Community United Church of Christ
1995 Busy Bee Child Care Center opened their doors
1997 New church sign by the road
1998 New roof on the sanctuary
2001 Memorial Pavilion built with Nicholas Adams as his Eagle Scout Project later memorial bricks created a walkway (dedicated May 26, 2002)
2002 Remodeled kitchen, offices & ADA restroom
2004 Pilgrim Heritage Fund established
2005 New sanctuary furniture purchased and dedicated
2014 175th year- “We Have Faith in Somers”
2016 Diaper Ministry started in September