Saint Bernard's Church Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Saint Bernard's Church Complex
|
|
Saint Bernard's Church Complex
|
|
| Location | Watertown, Wisconsin |
|---|---|
| Built | 1873 |
| Architectural style | Victorian/Victorian Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 03001221 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 2003 |
The Saint Bernard's Church Complex is a group of important buildings in Watertown, Wisconsin. It includes a Roman Catholic church, a school, and a rectory. A rectory is a house where a priest lives. These buildings take up an entire city block. The complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003. This means it's recognized as a special historical site in the United States.
Contents
History of Saint Bernard's Complex
Early Beginnings in Watertown
The Saint Bernard's community, called a parish, started in 1843. At that time, Wisconsin was not yet a state; it was a territory. In 1846, the first church building was constructed. It was a simple wooden church, 27 by 36 feet in size. This first church had a style called Gothic Revival.
Watertown had many people who had moved there from Germany and Ireland. Saint Bernard's Church became a special place for many of the Irish families. A rectory was built in 1847 for the priest. Later, in 1857, a school building was added for the children of the parish.
Building the New Church
By 1872, the church community had grown a lot. They needed a much bigger church building. Reverend William Corby was sent to Saint Bernard's to help build this new church. He asked Patrick Keely to design it. Keely was a famous architect who had designed many Catholic churches in the eastern United States.
The new church was built between 1873 and 1876. The people of the parish helped a lot, giving both money and their time. The first stone of the church was laid in 1873. This special stone was carved from a piece of the Rock of Cashel in Ireland.
Design of the Church Building
Patrick Keely designed the church in a style called High Victorian Gothic. This style uses tall, vertical lines and pointed arches. It also uses different colored bricks and stones, which is called polychromatic masonry. The church building is mostly rectangular. It has a large square tower at the front and a rounded section at the back called an apse.
The bottom part of the church is made of limestone blocks. The walls above are made of cream-colored bricks. These bricks have stripes of red brick and stone, which makes the building look interesting. The front tower has a tall spire with clocks on all four sides. This spire reaches 210 feet high and has a cross on top. Inside the church, the apse still has beautiful stained glass windows from the 1870s. In the 1890s, a German artist named Hermann Michalowski painted large murals inside. These murals show important saints like St. Francis, St. Bernard, St. Patrick, and St. Elizabeth.
Other Buildings in the Complex
In 1883, a new rectory was built. This building was later used as a convent, which is a home for nuns. The original rectory was a two-story brick building with some Italianate style details. Over time, parts of the building were changed. However, you can still see its interesting roof and the iron decoration on the bay window.
In 1892, a larger school building was constructed. This new school replaced the older one. It is a two-story building with round arches, which is a style called Romanesque Revival. The school is made of cream-colored brick. It has a two-story entrance with unique corner designs that look like scrolls. A stone cross sits on top of the entrance. Dr. Edward Johnson helped pay for much of the school building. Mat Franzen was the builder. This school building is important because it is the last old church school building left in Watertown. In the late 1800s, most students in the city went to church schools.
