Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist (Milwaukee) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. John's Roman Catholic Cathedral
|
|
.jpg)
Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist
|
|
| Location | 812 N. Jackson St. Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Nearest city | Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
| Built | 1847 |
| Architect | Victor Schulte |
| NRHP reference No. | 74000108 |
| Added to NRHP | December 31, 1974 |
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist is a very important church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It's the main church for the Catholic community in the area. This beautiful building was built way back in 1847. It has a special German style called Renaissance Revival, and it has been rebuilt a few times after fires. It's so important that it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is known as a special landmark in Milwaukee. You can find it right next to Cathedral Square Park.
Contents
A Look at the Cathedral's History
The church community of St. John's started in 1837. It was the very first Roman Catholic group in Milwaukee. In its early days, the community met at St. Peter's church nearby.
Building the Cathedral
Archbishop John Henni bought the land for the cathedral in 1844. Construction began on December 5, 1847, after almost $30,000 was raised. The church was finished in 1852. It was named after John the Evangelist.
The building was designed by an architect named Victor Schulte. He used a style from the 1800s called Zopfstil, which means "pigtail" style in German. The church was built using Cream City brick. This is a special light-colored brick found only in the Milwaukee area. Schulte also designed two other churches in Milwaukee using the same style. These were St. Mary's and Holy Trinity.
The Tower's Design
The bottom part of the cathedral's tall tower, up to where the clocks are, is part of Schulte's original design from the 1840s. This part is simpler than the sections above it. It has flat pillars, called pilasters, that match the main part of the church. This simple style was part of the original Zopfstil. This style was a reaction against the fancier Baroque style that was popular in Europe at the time. An original steeple used to sit on top of this first section.
After about 40 years, the original steeple was thought to be unsafe. So, in 1893, the part of the tower above the clock was replaced. The new, taller tower was designed by famous Milwaukee architects George Ferry & Alfred Clas. This new two-part tower has a fancier look. It makes the whole building seem less like it was built during the Civil War era.
The 1935 Fire and Rebuilding
In January 1935, a fire badly damaged the church and most of its contents. A person named Richard Perrin described it: "The main worship areas were destroyed. Beautiful stained glass windows, wall paintings, and a valuable pipe organ were completely ruined. The roof fell in, and even the outside walls were badly damaged from the intense heat. Only the tower remained standing."
Fire Chief Peter Steinkellner was in charge of fighting the fire. When he realized the main church could not be saved, he focused on saving the tower. He succeeded in keeping the tower safe. The rebuilding of the church was finished in time for the midnight mass on Christmas Eve in 1942.
Special Features Inside
St. John's Cathedral has thirteen large, beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were made by the T.C. Esser Company of Milwaukee. They were designed by Erhardt Stoettner.
In the center of the main worship area, there is a large, tomb-shaped baptismal pool. It also has a marble font, which is a basin for holy water. In 2001, a garden with a gate and an atrium, which is a glass-covered area, were added to the north side of the building.
The Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist celebrated its 150th anniversary in 1997.
More to Explore
- List of churches in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee
- List of Catholic cathedrals in the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
See also
In Spanish: Catedral de San Juan Evangelista (Milwaukee) para niños
