Church of St. John the Baptist (Burlington, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of St. John the Baptist
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The Church of St John the Baptist in 2013.
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 712 Division St. Burlington, Iowa |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1883–1885 |
| Architect | Johann Dillenburg |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002615 |
| Added to NRHP | February 26, 1982 |
The Church of St. John the Baptist is a beautiful old church building located in Burlington, Iowa, United States. It's part of a larger group of churches called Divine Mercy parish, which belongs to the Diocese of Davenport. This church, along with St. Paul's Church and St Mary's Church, still serves as a place for people to worship. The Church of St. John the Baptist was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982 because of its important history.
Contents
The Story of St. John's Church
A Church for German Immigrants
The St. John the Baptist church community started in 1852. It was created to serve the many German families who were moving to Burlington, Iowa. By 1856, the first church building was finished. At that time, about 40 to 50 families were part of the church. These families were among the large number of German immigrants who settled in Burlington during the 1840s and 1850s.
The next year, a school building was completed. The School Sisters of Notre Dame became the teachers there. In 1875, St. John's Academy, another school building, was finished. The church community grew quickly. By 1879, there were 200 families, and by 1888, there were 2,000 individual members. This growth showed how many people of German background lived in Burlington. By the 1880s, about 60% of the city's population was German.
Changes in Leadership
In 1876, Bishop John Hennessey of Dubuque asked the Jesuits to take care of the church. Later, Benedictines from St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, Kansas took over. Since 1990, priests from the Davenport Diocese have been serving the church. St. John's became part of the Davenport Diocese in 1881.
Schools and Mergers
The Catholic schools in Burlington began to combine over time. Both St. John's and St. Paul's used to have their own high schools. In 1958, these high schools joined together to open Notre Dame High School. This new school was built on the west side of the city.
The two churches continued to run their own grade schools until 1975. Then, these grade schools also combined. St. Paul's School taught students from kindergarten to 4th grade. St. John's housed grades five through eight. The schools at Burlington's third church, St. Patrick's, and St. Mary's in West Burlington had already closed in 1969. In the 1990s, money was raised to add a new grade school section at Notre Dame. St. John's School building was later taken down to create more parking space.
Forming New Parishes
Over the years, the number of priests in the Davenport Diocese became smaller. Also, the population and religious practices in Burlington changed. In 1991, Bishop Gerald O’Keefe announced a plan to combine churches across the diocese. The churches in Burlington were part of this plan.
In 1998, St. John's and St. Paul's churches joined together. They were led by Rev. John Hyland, who was already the pastor for both. The new church community was named Saints John and Paul. At the same time, St. Patrick's and St. Mary's also merged to form their own church community. Then, in 2017, Saints John and Paul church and St. Mary and St. Patrick church merged again. They formed the current Divine Mercy parish.
The Church's Design
Building a Grand Church
The current St. John's Church was built between 1883 and 1885. It was designed by an architect from Chicago named Johann Dillenburg. He designed it in the Gothic Revival style, which looks like old European cathedrals.
The church sits on a tall base made of rough stone. Its outside walls are made of brick. The pointed roof, called a gable roof, is covered with slate tiles. The church is about 160 feet long and 73 feet wide.
Outside Features
The front of the church has a very tall central tower. Two smaller towers stand on each side of it. The tallest tower reaches 168 feet into the sky. In 2010, lights were added to the church's tower.
There are three entrances at the front of the building. Above each entrance is a tall, narrow window called a lancet window. The side of the church has seven sections, called bays. Each section is separated by a three-stepped wall buttress, which helps support the wall. In each section, there are two lancet windows placed together. These windows are set inside a rectangular panel that is slightly pushed in. Along the top of each panel is a row of small, tooth-like blocks called dentils. A rounded section, known as an apse, forms the back of the church. The church was built on top of a high hill south of downtown, which makes it stand out.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is divided into three main areas, called naves. These areas are separated by large pillars. A tall wooden main altar fills the rounded apse at the back of the church. It was put in place in 1893.
In the 1990s, a special chapel for the Eucharist was built in the left side sacristy (a room where priests prepare). An arched doorway was cut into the wall of the main worship area, allowing people to see the chapel from the main part of the church. All the windows in the church are filled with beautiful stained glass.
