The order of The Knights of Columbus #1757 was founded in June, 1914 in Ottawa, Ohio with sixty-five charter members. 

      Upon our baptism life began for us as we elected our Council Officers, under the leadership of  Joseph Kersting, our First Grand Knight and H. Edward Heckford, Financial Secretary.  The purpose of this order was purely social and for insurance benefits. Our first meetings were held in our hall located at West Fourth Street in Ottawa, Ohio.  We plotted our course, acquired robes and regalia, and contemplated our council publication, which at first was only a typewritten newsletter issued periodically.  

     In a few years we had established a sound financial status, our membership began to increase, growing pains set in, and our sights were set in acquiring a more permanent home for our council.  Our dreams of a club house site were accomplished when informal discussion of the construction project began in late 1976.  On February 24, 1977, a meeting of the Council Club was held with about 40 members in attendance.  At that meeting, the following motion was made, seconded, and adopted.

"That a committee be appointed to investigate the various aspects and ramifications of building a new building, a)including cost estimates, b)site acquisition, c)type of construction, d)disposal of the present hall, e)plans and specifications, f)budget and finance.  Further, that a building fund be established for the depositing of excess earnings."

The following committee was appointed: Robert Kreinbrink, Raymond Meyer, Robert Kelleher, Herman Schmenk, Michael O'Malley, William Morman, Henry Rosengarten, Rudy Roof, Art Inkrott, James Schnipke, and Clyde A. Schroeder, Chairman.  The newly formed Building Committee met on a monthly basis in order to study various sites and building possibilities.  On May, 19, 1977, it took an option on 20 acres which is now the present building site.  A pig roast was held August 14, 1977, at which time the membership was asked to vote on the building proposal and the site selection.  Of the membership voting, over 80 per cent voted in favor of both a new building and the site selected.  A deed was received on January 11, 1978 , from J. Harry Leopold for the front 10 acres of land with a land contract to the Council for the remaining 10 acres.

Throughout the fall and winter of 1978, the acreage was cleared and stone was hauled onto the site.  On August 2, 1979, official ground-breaking ceremonies were held with construction of the building beginning within days.  By late September, 1979, the foundations were poured and structural steel had been set.  Roofing, siding, and insulation were on by December 1st.  The concrete floor was poured the third week of December, followed by the construction of the interior walls.  Be February 17, 1980, the Hall was ready for our Construction Open House, with over 400 interested people attending.  They were able to see, in rough form, what was soon to become the pride of K of C Council 1757.  The following months involved the finish work - much of it done with volunteer labor from the membership.  Work continued into the spring with construction being largely complete by late May, 1980.

All this time, Building Committee members were busy soliciting donations for the New Hall.  At the beginning of 1978 the Building Committee had $16,350.00 in pledges, which increased to $30,960.00 in April, and $47,600.00 in October.  At the time of the last Building Bulletin of 1978, the total had reached $63,535.00. 1979 proved to be an equally good year, marked by the breaking of our $100,000.00 goal in October.  To date we have had pledges exceeding $130,000.00.

The result of these efforts is the building as we see it today.  Future plans include the addition of a softball diamond and picnic area.  This facility will serve K of C members and their families for generations to come.