Church of St. Thomas the Apostle (Beloit, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of St. Thomas the Apostle
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 822 E. Grand Ave., Beloit, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | James J. Egan |
| Architectural style | Gothic, Stick/eastlake |
| MPS | Beloit MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83003413 |
| Added to NRHP | January 7, 1983 |
The Church of St. Thomas the Apostle is a very old church located at 822 E. Grand Avenue in Beloit, Wisconsin, United States. It was built in 1885. This historic building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983. This means it is recognized as an important place in history.
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A Look Back at St. Thomas Church
St. Thomas is the oldest Catholic church community in Beloit. Its story began way back in 1846. At that time, many people attending the church were Irish immigrants. They first gathered for worship in the home of Captain Thomas and Lucy Power. Today, the City Hall stands where their home once was.
In 1854, the church community built their first stone church. They used this building for about thirty years. Sadly, this first church burned down in 1884.
Building a New Church
After the fire, Reverend J.W. Ward quickly started raising money for a new building. He gave talks to help collect funds. The new church was built from 1885 to 1886. It stands on the same spot where the old stone church used to be.
The new church was designed by James J. Egan. He was an architect from Chicago. He created a simple, rectangular building with a sloped roof. It also has a tall, square tower at one corner.
Cool Architectural Features
The church walls are made of light cream-colored bricks. It has brick buttresses, which are supports built into the walls. These help the building stand strong. The church also has stone details that make it look nice.
The entrance porches are built in a style called Stick style. This was an unusual choice for a church at the time. The windows are tall and have slightly pointed tops. This is a common feature in Gothic architecture. Many windows also have a cool design, with a circle inside an arch.
The big corner tower is very impressive. It has small pointed roofs at its corners. Above that is a belfry, which is where the church bells are kept. The belfry has a round window, called a rose window. On top of the belfry is a tall spire. This spire reaches 150 feet high and has a cross at its very top.
Inside the Church
Inside, the main hall is very long, about 118 feet. It is also 55 feet wide. Along the sides, there are many beautiful stained glass windows. These windows create colorful light inside the church.
Behind the altar, there is another large and detailed stained glass window. The ceiling inside the church is supported by strong wooden beams. Local builders from Beloit helped construct the church. These included masons Marshall and Sweet, carpenters Cummingham Brothers, and stonecutter A.S. Jackson.
