Saint Augustine Church (New Diggings, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Saint Augustine Church
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| Location | New Diggings, Wisconsin |
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| Architect | Samuel C. Mazzuchelli |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 72000057 |
| Added to NRHP | February 23, 1972 |
Saint Augustine Church is a historic Catholic church built in 1844. It is located in New Diggings, Wisconsin. This church was built during a time when many people came to the area to mine for lead. A special priest named Father Samuel Mazzuchelli designed the building. What makes it amazing is that it still looks the same as it did when it was first built!
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Who Was Father Samuel Mazzuchelli?
Carlo Gaetano Samuele Mazzuchelli was born in Milan, Italy in 1806. When he was 22, he came to America. He became a priest in 1830. Father Mazzuchelli worked for five years in Upper Michigan and northern Wisconsin.
Later, he moved to the lead-mining area. There, he served as a missionary and priest. He helped many miners and settlers who lived far apart. Father Mazzuchelli started more than 35 church communities. He also designed buildings for 20 to 25 of them.
Building the Church
The Saint Augustine church community started in 1835. The church building you see today was built in 1844. Father Mazzuchelli designed it himself. He mixed different building styles, which was unusual. But the final church looks very nice.
One expert, Richard Perrin, said this church is "one of the genuine architectural gems" in Wisconsin. He also called it "an important element of Wisconsin's cultural legacy." This means it's a very special and important building.
Church Design and Features
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The church is a small building made of wood. It sits on a foundation made of limestone. The main style of the building is Greek Revival. You can see this in its low-pitched roof. The roof also has special corners called cornice returns.
But some smaller parts of the church are in the Gothic Revival style. For example, the doors and windows have pointed arches. The corner pillars, called pilasters, also have pointed arches. The wood walls look like stone blocks. The outside of the church was never painted. On top, there is a simple bell tower with a small cross.
Inside the church, you can see the original wooden pews. These are the benches where people sit. There is also a beautifully carved altar rail. Behind the altar, there were three rooms. These rooms were where the priest could stay when he visited the village. In 1847, Father Mazzuchelli opened a school in these rooms. Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters taught at this small school.
Keeping the Church Alive
In the 1960s, a group called the Knights of Columbus started to fix up the church. They rebuilt the foundation. They also replaced some parts of the bell tower. Even after 120 years, most of the church's wood and structure were still strong.
Today, the Father Mazzuchelli Assembly of the Knights of Columbus from Lancaster, Wisconsin continues to restore the church.
A Special Place Today
Saint Augustine Church is now part of the Diocese of Madison. It has not been an active church for over 100 years. Many other churches designed by Father Mazzuchelli have been changed over time. But Saint Augustine Church is the only one that remains exactly as he built it.
This makes the church very special. It connects us directly to Father Mazzuchelli. Many people visit it as a place of pilgrimage. The church is open on Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m. A special memorial Mass is held there every year on the last Sunday of August. Old books, records, and letters from Father Mazzuchelli are kept safe at Sinsinawa Mound in Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.
