Among the earlier records of the history of St. Bridget's Catholic Church of Hemingford is a picture of the missionary priest who served here fro Montello, Wisconsin in 1876. In these early pioneer days until 1887, mass was celebrated when the priest arrived on horseback or on foot. Others came from Grand Island or from West Point, 400 miles to the east.

In 1888, the first Catholic Church structure was built to the measurements of 19 by 18 feet wide. Father Brohy and neighbors built the church from logs. This was at the old Nonpareil, then the county seat. This was changed in 1890 as the railroad could not purchase the right of way. Rails were built through what is now called Hemingford. Hemingford's Town site Company was incorporated on May 5, 1888 by the county board of commissioners, still sitting at Nonpareil on April 24, 1890. It was that year that St. Bridget's Catholic Church structure was moved into the Village of Hemingford from Nonpareil.

This parish was attended by Father Brohy and Father Broz fro Chadron, Father Jutz and Perrin from South Dakota and Fathers Becker, John Gleason and Paul Moser from Alliance and Crawford.

In the year 1914, St. Bridget's had a resident pastor and thereby became a parish of its own. Father Charles Keyser was the first resident pastor. As is the custom, records are kept where the resident pastor resides. The records here find the first baptism was Lawrence Raphael Sochol, son of Marie Kosmicki and Francis Sochol, November 1, 1914. The first funeral service was for Verna Urbanovsky, wife of Joe Urbanovsky. The first burial records was in 1914, twin babies, Irene and Emma Shimek on November 21.

Father Keyser also served the mission of Curley and Lawn. At Lawn, a structure was built in 1913 replacing the log structure built before 1806. Father Keyser served until July 1917. Father A.M. Steder followed him before being transferred September 1, 1918. Father Daniel Manning came and served until his death on December 6, 1944. Father Robert O'Neil then served here before going to Harrison in August 1950.

Plans to build the present church structure began in the 1920's. The financial crash in the 1920's and the terrible drought years of the 1930's interrupted the building plans. Finally, on July 6, 1947, the cornerstone was blessed and the village celebrated groundbreaking ceremonies. The first mass was in January of 19494, the year of the great blizzard. The new structure sated 400 at a cost of $120,000. The old 1915 rectory still stood beside the new building. Bishop Edward Hunkler, Bishop of Grand Island, dedicated the church on April27, 1949.

In August 1950, Father Bob Foster served until Father Andrew McDonald came on October 26, 1950. During Father McDonald's time the church debt was paid and plans were made to build a new rectory, as he was gifted in preparing for the future. Father McDonald was resident pastor until August 1961 when he moved to Alliance. He died of poor health on March 30, 1965.

Father Daniel Devine came to St. Bridget's in August of 1961. He completed plans to replace the 1914 rectory structure on the present site. Father Devine was followed by Father Constantine Shumski in 1967. The many changes of Vatican II were just beginning at St. Bridget's. For the first time, mass was offered in English facing the congregation and the newly-begun liturgical reforms of 400 years were initiated. The reforms began in the 1960's were brought to completion on East of 1981 with Father Ray Kosmicki as resident pastor.

Father Andrew Gonda came to Hemingford in September of 1974. He was instrumental in encouraging the parish to accept the changes in the church and plan for an effective parish council.