Dickeyville Grotto facts for kids
The Dickeyville Grotto is a special place in Dickeyville, Wisconsin, USA. It's a collection of unique outdoor grottos and shrines. You can find it where Highway 151 and Highway 35 meet. What makes it so cool? Most of the concrete buildings are covered with all sorts of colorful things! Think shiny shells, pretty stones, tiles, wood, glass, sparkling gems, and geodes. These were all given by people from the area. Lots of visitors come here every year, usually between 40,000 and 60,000 people!
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Building the Dickeyville Grotto
The Dickeyville Grotto was built by a priest named Father Mathius Wernerus. He was the pastor of the Holy Ghost Parish in Dickeyville. He worked on creating this amazing place from 1920 to 1930. Later, the grotto was updated and fixed up between 1995 and 1997.
What You Can See at the Grotto
The grotto has many different parts, each with its own special meaning. Some of the main areas include:
- The Grotto of the Blessed Virgin: This area honors Mary, who is an important figure in Christianity.
- The Christ the King Shrine: A shrine dedicated to Jesus Christ.
- The Grotto of the Sacred Heart: This part focuses on the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
- The Eucharistic Altar: An altar used for religious ceremonies.
- The Holy Ghost Tree: A unique structure representing the Holy Spirit.
- The Patriotism Shrine: This shrine shows love for the United States.
- The Crucifixion Group: A display showing the crucifixion of Jesus.
The Patriotism Shrine Explained
Even though most of the grotto is about religion, the Patriotism Shrine is a bit different. It features statues of important American figures like Columbus, Washington, and Lincoln.
Why is this shrine here? At the time it was built, some people thought that Catholics might be more loyal to the Pope (the leader of the Catholic Church) than to their own country, the United States. Father Wernerus wanted to show that Catholics were just as patriotic and loyal to America as anyone else. This shrine was a way to express that strong American pride.
Who Inspired the Grotto?
Father Wernerus might have been inspired by another famous grotto called the Grotto of the Redemption in West Bend, Iowa. That grotto was started in 1912 by a priest named Paul Dobberstein. Father Wernerus went to St. Francis Seminary, and there was also a grotto built by Dobberstein on the seminary grounds. This could have given Father Wernerus the idea to build his own grotto.
Other Grottos Inspired by Dickeyville
The Dickeyville Grotto also inspired other artists and builders! For example, Paul and Matilda Wegner created their own grotto in Cataract, Wisconsin, after seeing the one in Dickeyville. Also, Mollie Jenson's Art Exhibit in River Falls, Wisconsin, was influenced by this unique site.
