Church of the Sacred Heart (Freeport, Minnesota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Church of the Sacred Heart (Catholic)
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The Church of the Sacred Heart viewed from the northwest
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 Location in Minnesota
Location in the United States
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| Location | 110 3rd Avenue NE, Freeport, Minnesota |
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| Area | Less than one acre |
| Built | 1905–06 |
| Built by | Paul Koshiol |
| Architect | Parkinson & Dockendorff |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 91000906 |
| Added to NRHP | July 12, 1991 |
The Church of the Sacred Heart is an old and important Catholic church in Freeport, Minnesota, USA. This church was built between 1905 and 1906. It was the third and biggest church for a group of people who started meeting in 1881. These people were German American settlers who came to the area.
The church is special because it shows how important the Catholic church was in Freeport. It also shows its role in many other towns in Central Minnesota. These towns were also settled by German immigrants. Because of its history, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991. This list includes places that are important to the history of the United States.
Contents
History of the Sacred Heart Church
The Sacred Heart church group first belonged to a larger church in New Munich, Minnesota. But the people in Freeport, who were mostly German-American, wanted their own church. They asked the Diocese of St. Cloud for a priest. Father Simplicius Wimmer came to help them start their own parish.
First Church Building
Freeport's first church was made of wood. It was built in 1882. This building was about 70 feet long and 36 feet wide. A house for the priest, called a rectory, was added in 1890.
Second Church Building
Soon, the church group grew too big for the first building. So, they built a new one in 1896. This second church was made of brick and was much larger. It was about 154 feet long and 66 feet wide. It was big enough to seat 1,000 people! This building cost about $30,000 to finish. The original wooden church was given to another church group in St. Rose. It was moved about 5 miles north.
The Fire and Rebuilding
Sadly, the 1896 church was hit by lightning in 1904. It was completely destroyed by fire. But the church group didn't give up! They immediately started planning to rebuild. Even the priest helped out with the rebuilding efforts.
The third church building was even bigger and more beautiful than the second one. It was finished in 1906. This new church cost about $115,000 to build. It took 38 boxcar loads of bricks to construct it!
Today, the Sacred Heart church is part of a group of churches. This group includes Immaculate Conception in New Munich and St. Rose of Lima in St. Rosa, Minnesota.
See also
- List of Catholic churches in the United States
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Stearns County, Minnesota
