Sacred Heart Cathedral (Dodge City, Kansas) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Sacred Heart Cathedral
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 Location in Kansas
Location in the United States
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| Location | 903 Central Ave. Dodge City, Kansas |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1916 |
| Architect | Ralph Adams Cram |
| Architectural style | Mission/Spanish Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 83000426 |
| Added to NRHP | February 10, 1983 |
Sacred Heart Cathedral used to be the main church for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Dodge City in Dodge City, Kansas, USA. This special church building is even listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site.
Contents
History of Sacred Heart Cathedral
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Early Beginnings
Long ago, church services in Dodge City were held in a building called the Union Church. This church was built by local business people and was used by many different Christian groups. Priests like Father Felix Schwenberg and Father Ferdinand Wolf led services there.
The very first Sacred Heart Church was built in 1882. It was made of wood and designed in the Gothic Revival style.
Building the New Church
Later, Bishop John Joseph Hennessy of Wichita asked Father John Handly to build a new church. The idea was that this new church might one day become a cathedral for a new diocese (a church district).
A famous architect named Ralph Adams Cram designed the current Sacred Heart Church. He designed it in the Spanish Colonial Revival style. It is said that Father Handly had helped Cram with something important. In return, Cram gave the church his building plans for free. Bishop Hennessy officially opened the new church on August 2, 1916.
Growth and Changes
The old church building was changed into a school. Sacred Heart School opened its doors in September 1916. As more students joined, the school building grew with new parts added in 1929, 1949, and 1954.
The building where the priests live, called the rectory, was added in 1955. All the buildings in the church area were designed in the same style. This made them look like one big, connected group of buildings. A new confessional (a small room for confessions) was added to the church in 1949.
Becoming a Cathedral
On May 19, 1951, Pope Pius XII created the Diocese of Dodge City. Because of this, Sacred Heart Church became the main church, or cathedral, for the new diocese.
In 1983, Sacred Heart Cathedral was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This recognized its importance as a historical building.
On December 9, 2001, Sacred Heart and Our Lady of Guadalupe churches in Dodge City joined together. They formed a new church called the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. Sacred Heart Cathedral is still used today as part of the school.
Architecture and Design
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Building Shape and Size
Sacred Heart Cathedral is built in a long, rectangular shape, like a basilica. It measures about 110 feet (33.5 meters) long and 50 feet (15.2 meters) wide.
On the northwest side of the building, there is a bell tower. It is designed in the Renaissance style and has a shiny silver dome with a cross on top. The outside walls of the church are covered in stucco, which gives it a smooth finish.
Outside Features
You can see semi-circular arched windows on the north and south walls. The church looks quite simple from the outside, except for the main front entrance. This entrance has a special, fancy design with a four-leaf clover shape (called a quatrefoil) window above it. The entrance itself is carved in the Spanish Baroque style, which is very detailed.
Inside the Cathedral
Inside, the church has open wooden beams that are held up by rounded arches. The floors are made of quarry tile, which is a type of strong, unglazed tile.
A large painting on the back wall was created by an artist from Topeka named George Melville Stone. This painting shows the crucifixion of Jesus. It also includes images of desert flowers, Native Americans, and a pinto pony, which are common in the American Southwest.
Above the doors in the entrance area, there are three curved paintings (called lunettes). These paintings show stories like the Good Samaritan, the Good Shepherd, and the Angels at the Tomb.
The beautiful stained glass windows were made by Emil Frei Studios in St. Louis. They were put into the church in 1948. In 1967, a simpler altar was put in, replacing the original one.
More to Explore
See also
In Spanish: Catedral del Sagrado Corazón (Dodge City) para niños
