St. Adalbert's Church (Milwaukee) facts for kids

St. Adalbert's Church, known in Polish as 'Kościół Świętego Wojciecha', is a Roman Catholic church located at 1923 W. Becher Street on the South Side of Milwaukee. It is one of Milwaukee's impressive churches often called 'Polish Cathedrals' because of its grand size and beautiful design.

Why the Church is Named St. Adalbert's

The church is named after Adalbert of Prague. He was a very important Slavic saint and a martyr in the Roman Catholic Church. A martyr is someone who dies for their beliefs.

The Story of St. Adalbert's Church

In the early 1900s, many new churches were needed in Milwaukee. On June 23, 1908, five pieces of land were bought at Becher and South 19th Street. Just two months later, the first stone of the church, called the cornerstone, was laid and blessed. This happened under the guidance of Father Michael Domachowski, who became the first priest of the parish.

By February 28, 1909, the church and its school were finished and blessed. The students at the school were taught by the School Sisters of Notre Dame, a group of nuns. On September 18, 1909, Father Domachowski was followed by a new priest, Father Wacław (Wenceslaus) Kruszka. He was very happy to finally have a parish in Milwaukee.

Father Kruszka brought a lot of love and energy to his church community. The school next to the church grew very popular. By 1924, it had 1,585 students taught by 23 sisters! Because so many people were attending, the parish decided to build a brand new, larger church. This new church cost $252,000 and was built on land given by another church, St. Hyacinth’s parish. The new St. Adalbert's Church was completed and blessed on April 23, 1931.

During his time, Father Kruszka also helped start the new Blessed Sacrament Parish. This church was located on 41st and Oklahoma Streets.

How St. Adalbert's Church Looks

St. Adalbert's Church is the only building in Milwaukee that shows Romanesque Revival architecture inspired by Polish designs. The tall tower on the northwest side of the church looks like a tower from Wawel Cathedral in Kraków, Poland.

The top part of the tower, called the belfry, is covered in copper. Inside the belfry are four bells. These bells are named after St. Adalbert, Jesus, Mary, and the Angel. The church is also very famous in the Milwaukee area for its beautiful stained glass windows.

See also

• Wacław Kruszka
• Alan Kulwicki (buried in the church's cemetery)