Church of St. Joseph (Elmer, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of St. Joseph (Catholic)
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The Church of St. Joseph from the southeast
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 7897 Elmer Road, Elmer, Minnesota |
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| Area | 5 acres (2.0 ha) |
| Built | 1913 |
| NRHP reference No. | 02000940 |
| Added to NRHP | September 6, 2002 |
The Church of St. Joseph is an old Catholic church building. It is located in a small place called Elmer, Minnesota, in the United States. This church was built in 1913. A railroad company, the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad, built it. They wanted to encourage people to move to the area and buy their land.
The Church of St. Joseph is important because of its history. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2002. This means it is a special historic site. The church and its cemetery across the road show how northern Minnesota was settled.
History of the Church
Building a Community
Years ago, the state government wanted to help northern Minnesota grow. They gave the Duluth and Iron Range Railroad a lot of land. For every mile of track the railroad built, they received ten sections of land. The railroad first made money by cutting down trees on this land.
After the trees were gone, the railroad wanted to sell the land. They hoped people would buy it and start farms. One of the railroad's agents found 25 Catholic families. These families were immigrants from Austria-Hungary living in Chicago.
The railroad company called this new area "St. Joseph's Colony." The Church of St. Joseph was built to be the main building for this new community. It was a central place for the settlers.
Changes Over Time
In 1962, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Duluth closed St. Joseph's Parish. This happened because there were not enough priests. Even after closing, the church still held a monthly mass. It was also used for special events. These included weddings, funerals, and baptisms.
In 1990, some people whose families were original settlers formed a group. They wanted to take care of the church building. In 2001, the church was officially deconsecrated. This means it was no longer used as a holy place for religious services.
