St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (Johnsburg, Wisconsin) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
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Church
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | N9288 Cty W, Johnsburg, Wisconsin. Located on County W just south of County Q. |
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| Area | 0.4 acres (0.16 ha) |
| Built | 1857 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 80000137 |
| Added to NRHP | October 29, 1980 |
The St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church is a historic church in Johnsburg, Fond du Lac County, Wisconsin. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee, which is like a large church district. This beautiful church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1980, recognizing its importance.
The church's story began with German families who moved here in the 1830s. Their first church was built in 1843. The building you see today was finished in 1857. The town of Johnsburg grew up around this church, which now also has a school, a cemetery, and a house for the priest called a rectory.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
In the 1830s, immigrants from Prussia (a part of Germany) started settling in the Holyland region of Wisconsin. They held church services in their homes. In 1843, people donated land, and a small church made of logs was built. This was the very first church building.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Milwaukee was created in 1843, and St. John the Baptist Church has been part of it ever since. In 1845, Father Caspar Rehrl became the first priest to live and work there.
Building a New Church
By 1850, the small log church was too small for the growing number of families. People decided they needed a bigger, new church. However, there were disagreements about where to build it. Some people wanted it in a new spot, while others wanted it at the old location.
After some discussion, the community decided to build a new stone church in a different spot. A parishioner donated 5 acres of land for it. The church was built from very hard limestone and took over two years to finish. In 1857, the new church was completed and celebrated with a special event. Many families then built homes nearby, and that's how the community of Johnsburg began.
Changes and Growth
Over the years, many priests served the church. In 1879, Father Julius Hellweger became the pastor. He made many important changes to the church building. The inside walls were plastered, a beautiful vaulted ceiling was added, and new floors were laid. Colorful stained glass windows were also installed.
In 1882, the church celebrated its 25th birthday (called a silver jubilee). They also got a new roof and a heating system. A new two-story school was built in 1884. Later, in 1889, a pipe organ was added, and a metal fence was put around the property. In 1894, a new tall tower was built for the church.
During World War I, there was a debate about whether to keep sermons in German or switch to English. The parish voted to keep them in German. Even during the Great Depression, the church managed to make some improvements, like adding a new floor in the sanctuary and new furnaces for the school.
Modern Times
In 1948, Father Benjamin Blied became the pastor. During his time, many updates were made. Automatic bells were added, and the old school building was taken down to make a playground. A powerful heater was installed for both the church and the school.
In 1957, the church celebrated its 100th birthday! Many priests who had grown up in the parish came back to celebrate. Later that year, the schoolyard and church paths were paved, and the steeple was repainted.
In the 1960s, the school needed more space. The nuns who taught there wanted their own separate house, called a convent. After the convent was built, several Catholic schools in the area decided to combine. In 1969, students from Marytown and Johnsburg in Grades 4 to 8 started attending school together at Johnsburg.
Today at St. John the Baptist
The school building is now home to Holyland Catholic School, which opened in 2015. In recent years, St. John the Baptist Church joined with four other nearby churches to form a larger parish called Our Lady of the Holyland.
Services are held at the church on Sunday mornings. The current pastor is Father Paul Koenig.
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