Old St. Ferdinand Shrine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Ferdinand's Shrine Historic District
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 Location in Missouri
Location in the United States
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| Location | Between Cold Water and Fountain Creeks, Florissant, Missouri |
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| Built | 1819 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| MPS | St. Ferdinand City MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003759 |
| Added to NRHP | September 12, 1979 |
Old St. Ferdinand Shrine and Historic Site is a special place in Florissant, Missouri. It is cared for by the Friends of Old St. Ferdinand, Inc. This historic site has four old buildings. They are the 1819 convent, the 1821 church, the 1840 rectory, and the 1888 schoolhouse. All these buildings are still in their original spots.
You can visit the convent, church, and rectory for tours. The schoolhouse can be used for different events. Inside the buildings, you will find many old items. These items show what life was like throughout the history of Old St. Ferdinand.
Contents
Why is St. Ferdinand's Shrine Important?
This site connects us to early American pioneer times. It also shows the history of Jesuit missions to Native Americans. Plus, it was a key place for Catholic education in the Midwest.
First Catholic School in the Midwest
The 1819 convent building holds a special record. It was the location of the first Catholic school. This school was built between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains.
Oldest Church Building West of the Mississippi
The 1821 church is also very important. It is the oldest church building still standing. It was built between the Mississippi River and the Rocky Mountains. This church was also home to Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne. She is the only Catholic saint from this region.
How St. Ferdinand's Shrine Began
Around 1767, French plantation owners settled in an area. They called it "Fleurissant." This was just a few years after Pierre Laclède and Auguste Chouteau started the fur-trading village of St. Louis.
Early Days of the Settlement
In 1782, August Chouteau named François Dunegant the "Commandant of Fleurissant." His job was to protect the settlement from attacks. The Louisiana Territory had been given to Spain in 1763. By 1788, the settlement was called "St. Ferdinand." It had 40 people and seven plantations. Dunegant then set aside land for a church and a priest's home.
Building the First Church
A local carpenter, Hyacenthe Deshetres, led the building of the first church. In 1789, Father Bernard de Limpach became the first pastor. This church was built where Spanish Land Grant Park is today. A cemetery was next to the church. The church was the center of life in St. Ferdinand. People used it for religious services. They also used the area outside for public announcements and business deals. This old log church burned down in 1836.
New Leaders and Education
In 1818, Bishop Louis William Valentine Dubourg came to St. Louis. He wanted to bring Catholic missionaries and teachers to the area. He wanted them to serve both pioneers and Native Americans. St. Ferdinand was greatly affected by his plans.
Bishop DuBourg recruited Mother Rose Philippine Duchesne. She was part of the Religious of the Sacred Heart. In 1818, she started the first Catholic school for girls west of the Mississippi. It was in St. Charles, Missouri. Then, in 1819, she moved it to Florissant.
Mother Duchesne later started nine schools in the Louisiana Territory. She also welcomed the first American women to become nuns in the Midwest. She helped the Jesuits settle in Florissant. In 1840, the Jesuits built a large stone building there. This building was the main part of their St. Stanislaus Seminary until 1971. The Patowamie tribe called Mother Duchesne "Woman-who-prays-always." Pope John Paul II made her a saint in 1988.
The 1819 Convent Building
The convent was built in the Federal Style. Father Duran, a Trappist monk, oversaw its construction. The sisters arrived for Christmas in 1819. Father de la Croix held the first Mass in the chapel at midnight on December 24.
Life in the Convent
The convent was home to the Religious of the Sacred Heart. It also housed girls who boarded there as students. The school taught French-speaking, English-speaking, and Native American students. Letters from Philippine Duchesne and the students show what daily life was like. They wrote about challenges, religious practices, and their interactions. St. Rose Philippine Duchesne lived here from 1819 to 1827 and again from 1834 to 1840.
The first floor of the convent has a chapel, two parlors, and a dining room. Under the stairs, there is a small closet. Mother Duchesne slept there to be close to the chapel. The second floor and attic were used for community rooms, dorms, and a sickroom.
In 1846, the Religious of the Sacred Heart left St. Ferdinand. The Sisters of Loretto took their place in 1847. The Sisters of Loretto made the convent bigger. But later, the added part was removed. This was done to keep only the original part that St. Philippine Duchesne knew.
The 1821 Church Building
The current church replaced the old log church in 1821. This church is the oldest west of the Mississippi River. It is also the oldest east of the Rocky Mountains.
Mother Duchesne paid for the church's first stone. The church was dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and St. Ferdinand III. It was also dedicated to St. Francis Regis. These were important devotions for Mother Duchesne.
Jesuit Priests and Missionaries
Bishop DuBourg invited the Jesuits to Florissant. They came to educate boys and do missionary work. Charles Van Quickenborne arrived in 1823 with many Belgian novices. He was quickly put in charge of the parish. The Jesuits served there for a very long time.
A famous missionary, Pierre-Jean De Smet, was ordained a priest here in 1827. Fr. DeSmet traveled very far. He visited almost every Native American tribe in the West. He crossed the Atlantic Ocean 19 times. He did this to get money from European nations. He started Catholic missions when tribal chiefs and bishops asked him to.
Fr. DeSmet helped make peace between warring tribes. He calmed uprisings and helped the U.S. government with a treaty. He even became friends with the famous chief, Sitting Bull. Many people, even non-Catholics, said he was a true friend to Native Americans. Fr. DeSmet often returned to St. Ferdinand. He helped the people there, asked Mother Duchesne for help, and talked with other Jesuits.
Bishop Joseph Rosati, the first bishop of St. Louis, made the church sacred in 1832. The church was made longer in 1880.
The 1840 Rectory Building
The rectory was the home for the Jesuit priests. These priests served the St. Ferdinand parish. The first floor had rooms for parish meetings. The second floor was where the priests lived.
The 1888 Schoolhouse Building
A new parish school was built in 1888. A second floor was added to this school in 1889.
Becoming a Historic Shrine
In 1955, Old St. Ferdinand stopped being a parish. Its boundaries were changed. The Friends of Old St. Ferdinand, Inc. group was formed in 1958. Their goal was to take care of these historic buildings. A fire damaged the Church and rectory in 1966. But they were fully repaired and restored.
Cardinal John Carberry gave all the buildings and property to the Friends of Old St. Ferdinand in 1978. All four buildings were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. They were named the St. Ferdinand's Shrine Historic District. When Mother Duchesne became a saint in 1988, the Archdiocese of St. Louis named the complex a shrine. It is now a shrine to St. Rose Philippine Duchesne.
