St. Boniface Catholic Church (Sioux City, Iowa) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
St. Boniface Historic District
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. Historic district
Location in Iowa Show map of Iowa Location in the United States Show map of the United States
Location	703 W. 5th St., 515 Cook St., and 700 W. 6th St., Sioux City, Iowa
Area	2.3 acres (0.93 ha)
Built	1910, 1911, 1924
Architect	Bro. Leonard Darscheid William LaBarthe Steele
Architectural style	Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals
NRHP reference No.	98001322
Added to NRHP	November 5, 1998

The St. Boniface Historic District is a special group of buildings in Sioux City, Iowa. It includes the St. Boniface Catholic Church, which is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. The church and its related buildings are found in a neighborhood west of downtown Sioux City. This collection of buildings is so important that it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1998. At that time, three main buildings were recognized as contributing to its historic value.

A Look Back: The History of St. Boniface

In December 1885, German Catholic families in Sioux City decided to create a new church community. This was the second Catholic church in the city. They bought two pieces of land for their new church. On Christmas Eve 1886, Rev. John A. Gerleman became the first leader of the church.

A small wooden church was built, and the first church service happened on July 17, 1887. The church also opened a school that same year. Franciscan Sisters from Dubuque, Iowa came to teach at the new school.

Building a New Church and School

When the church first started, Sioux City was part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque. Later, in 1902, the Diocese of Sioux City was formed, and St. Boniface became part of it. In 1906, Franciscan Friars (religious brothers) began to serve the church. That year, Rev. Seraphin Lampe, OFM, became the pastor. They soon started planning for a bigger, new church.

A new church and a rectory (the priest's house) were built on West Fifth Street. Brother Leonard Darschield, OFM, designed the new church. He used a style called Romanesque Revival, which looks like old Roman buildings. Bishop Philip Joseph Garrigan officially opened the new church on September 4, 1911. That same year, a new home for the sisters (a convent) was also built. It was also designed by Brother Leonard and looked similar to the church and rectory. Sadly, the convent was torn down in 1993 after a fire damaged it. This made space for more parking.

The current school building and its heating plant were designed by a famous Sioux City architect, William LaBarthe Steele. They were finished in 1924. In 1975, a different group of sisters, the Sisters of the Living Word, started teaching at the school. In 1986, the Franciscan Friars left the church, and priests from the diocese took over.

Joining Together

In 1987, the schools from St. Boniface, St. Joseph, and the Cathedral of the Epiphany joined together. They formed a new school called Holy Family School. Now, these three churches also work closely together. Weekend church services at St. Boniface Church are held in both English and Spanish.

Amazing Architecture

The St. Boniface Church building is quite large, measuring about 160 feet long and 80 feet wide. It has a tall tower over the front that reaches about 162.5 feet high. When it was built, St. Boniface Church was the tallest building in Sioux City! The outside of the church is covered with bricks from Buffalo, New York. The decorative parts are made from Bedford limestone.

Church Features

The church has a balanced front with three sections. It also has four roof windows (called dormers) on each side. The back of the church is rounded. Inside, there are 66 stained glass windows. Some are round-arched, and there's a beautiful round window called a rose window. These windows were made in Munich, Germany, in 1910.

The ceiling inside the church is vaulted and rises about 54 feet above the floor. The original wooden altars were carved by a Franciscan brother. You can see statues of St. Boniface and St. Patrick on the main altar. Statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and St. Joseph are on the side altars. There's also a social hall in the basement of the church. The rectory, which is attached to the church, is a two-and-a-half-story house. It has the same design and materials as the church.

School and Heating Plant

The two-story brick school building was designed to match the style of the church. It has a part that sticks out in the middle of its front side, where the main entrance is. The school has a flat roof. Over the years, some changes have been made to the building.

The simple, two-story brick power plant was built at the same time as the school. It is located right behind the school building. It has a tall concrete smokestack that is about 98 feet high.

Images for kids

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  Church

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  School

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  Heating plant