Old St. Mary's Church (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Old St. Mary's Church
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Old St. Mary's Church
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 844 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, Wisconsin |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1846–47, 1866–67 |
| Architect | Victor Schulte |
| Architectural style | Greek-Ionic / Zopfstil |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000253 |
| Added to NRHP | March 7, 1973 |
Old St. Mary's Church is a very old and important church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It was built a long time ago, between 1846 and 1847. Before the church was built, a group of German Catholic immigrants started the church community, called a parish. This church was the first German Catholic church in the Milwaukee area.
When the church was built, Milwaukee had just become a city. Also, Wisconsin was not yet a state. Old St. Mary's is special because it is the oldest church building still standing in Milwaukee today. Because of its history, the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 1, 1973.
Contents
Church Design and Style
The church was designed by Victor Schulte. He was an architect who came from Prussia, a region in what is now Germany. Schulte designed the church in a style called Zopfstil. This German style is similar to the American Federal style. Many German immigrants in the parish would have known this style.
What is Zopfstil?
The Zopfstil style has a few key features. These include a roof that is not very steep and windows with rounded tops. This style also looks very neat and simple. It was different from other popular styles at the time, like Baroque and Rococo, which were much more fancy.
Other Buildings by Schulte
Victor Schulte designed other important buildings in Milwaukee too. He designed St. John Cathedral, which was built from 1847 to 1853. He also designed the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in 1850. Both of these churches were built in the same Zopfstil style.
Building the Church
The first stone for Old St. Mary's Church was placed on April 19, 1846. The church was built using a special type of brick called cream city brick. This brick is a light yellow color and was common in Milwaukee. Inside the church, there is a beautiful wooden altar that was bought in 1848. A painting of the Annunciation is behind the altar. This painting was a gift from King Ludwig I of Bavaria and was painted by Franz Xavier Glink.
Changes Over Time
Old St. Mary's Church has changed a bit over the years. In 1860, a clock was added to the church tower. Then, in 1868, three bronze bells were added. These bells were made in Munich, Germany.
Major Remodeling in the 1860s
From 1866 to 1867, the church had a big remodeling project. Victor Schulte, the original architect, was in charge again. Before this, the main part of the church was split into two floors. The bottom floor had classrooms for the parish school. The top floor was where church services, called Mass, were held.
In 1866, the church built a separate building for the school. This meant they could remove the classrooms from the church building. The floor of the main worship area was then lowered. The east side of the church was made longer, and the front of the church on the west side was updated. A new spire was added to the tower in 1866, and the bells were hung in 1868.
Later Updates
The inside of the church was redecorated after a fire in 1893. However, the outside of the church still looks very much like it did after the 1867 remodeling. That was just two years after the Civil War ended.
More recently, many people from Cuba have joined the church community. To honor them, a statue of the Cuban Madonna, called Our Lady of Charity, was placed in the church.
