Lakeport Church (Yankton County, South Dakota) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old Catholic Church
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 Location in South Dakota
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| Location | Yankton County, South Dakota |
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| Built | 1884 |
| Architectural style | Gothic revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80003776 |
| Added to NRHP | 1980 |
Saint John the Baptist Church, often called Lakeport Church, is a historic stone church. It is located in the countryside of Yankton County, South Dakota in the Midwestern United States. This church was built in 1884. It served a community of mostly Czech Catholic people until 1903. In 1980, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it is a special building worth protecting.
Contents
History of Lakeport Church
Early Settlement in Lakeport
In 1859, two brothers, George and Parker V. Brown, moved to the area. They came from Vermillion, South Dakota in what was then the Dakota Territory. They found a nice spot about 10 miles (15 km) from Yankton, South Dakota. They named this place "Lakeport" and built a log hotel there.
Czech Settlers Arrive
In 1868, a group of Czech people in Chicago formed a special club. It was called the Czech Agricultural Society. Their goal was to help Czech families move and settle in new lands. These lands were west of Iowa and Minnesota.
A year later, in 1869, the first group from this club arrived near Yankton. Most of the land there was already taken. So, they moved further west. Some of them settled near Lakeport. There, they built the first Czech Catholic church in the Dakota Territory. They named it the Church of St. John the Baptist.
Building the New Stone Church
In 1882, work began on a new St. John the Baptist church. This new church was built closer to the Lakeport settlement. Wood was hard to find on the open prairie. Because of this, the church was built using chalkrock. This stone was dug out from the banks of the Missouri River nearby.
Building the church took two years. It was finally finished and opened in 1884.
Later Years and Restoration
After 1903, the church no longer had a full-time priest. Its members started going to churches in nearby towns. These towns included Tabor, South Dakota, Lesterville, South Dakota, or Yankton. The church was mostly left empty and started to fall apart. However, some local people tried to keep it in good shape.
Many years later, money was given by the South Dakota Historical Society. This money helped to fix up the old church building. In 1984, a special church service, called a Mass, was held. This celebrated the church's 100th birthday. After that, a Mass was held there every year.
In 1980, the church was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. It was listed under the name "Old Catholic Church."
Church Architecture
The church is made from large blocks of chalkrock. These blocks are about 2 to 3 feet (60 to 90 cm) thick. It is a one-story building with a pointed, triangular roof called a gable roof.
The sides of the church have tall, narrow windows. These are called lancet windows. There are also smaller windows on the front and back. Round windows, called ocular windows, are found in the gable ends. When the church was nominated for the National Register, it was described as a great example of Gothic style. It also showed a unique Czech cultural touch.
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