St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Elkader, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Joseph Church and Parish Hall
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 330 1st St., NW. Elkader, Iowa |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1856-1858 (hall) 1899 (church) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 76000750 |
| Added to NRHP | November 21, 1976 |
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a special church in Elkader, Iowa. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Dubuque. Both the church building and its hall were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. This means they are important historical buildings in the United States.
Contents
The Start of St. Joseph's Church
The Catholic faith came to Elkader in the 1840s. A priest from Holy Cross traveled around, visiting places like Guttenberg and Garnavillo. The very first Mass (a church service) in Elkader happened in a simple log cabin. Today, the town's post office stands where that cabin once was. The first baptism in the area took place in 1855.
Building the First Church
The first priest to live in Elkader and lead the St. Joseph's parish was Father Peter McGinnis. He arrived in 1856. Father McGinnis bought land and started building the first church. This church was made from limestone that came from a quarry right behind the church building.
It took two years just to get the roof on the church! It took even longer to add all the furniture inside. When finished, the church was about 36 feet wide and 80 feet long. It was hard for the pastor to raise the $4,000 needed to build it. For a while, people had to stand or kneel on the floor because there were no pews yet.
The church had three wooden altars. In 1876, three brass bells were bought for $1,800. These bells were made in Cincinnati. A special bell tower, separate from the church, was built to hold them. In 1887, the church was made bigger under Father J. F. Reilly. This addition created space for a new sanctuary (the main area around the altar) and a sacristy (a room where priests prepare). The church could then seat up to 100 people.
The Current Church Building
By 1897, the old church was too small for the growing number of people. So, plans were made for a brand new, bigger church. Thomas Byrnes, who had built other important structures like the Keystone Arch Bridge, was chosen to build it.
Construction and Dedication
The first stone for the new church was laid on April 24, 1898. The church was officially opened and dedicated on Thanksgiving Day in 1900. Building the church itself cost $12,000. Another $7,000 was spent to furnish it, bringing the total cost to $19,000.
The new church is much larger, measuring about 50 feet wide and 104 feet long. The very top of the cross on its tall steeple is 142 feet above the ground! Like the first church, it was built using local limestone. Its roof was covered with Pennsylvania slate.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church has three main sections, called naves. These are separated by columns that used to look like marble. The central nave is 36 feet high, while the side naves are 27.5 feet high. The beautiful wooden altars from the old church were moved into the new one. The three bells were also placed in the new church's tower. The ceiling was decorated with paintings of different saints. The new church could seat 500 people. After the new church was built, the old church was changed into the parish hall, which is still used today.
Modern Updates
The church has been updated several times. Major changes happened in the 1960s and again in the 1990s. In the 1960s, many of the original furnishings were removed. The inside walls were covered with a new plaster. An altar was built so the priest could face the people during Mass. These changes were part of bigger updates in the Catholic Church after the Second Vatican Council. In the 1980s, the roof was covered with new black slate.
In the 1990s, many of the original items that had been removed were brought back and given new uses. For example, parts of the old communion rail were made into table tops. An old seat for priests was remade into a special chair for the presider. A new ambo (where readings are given), a baptismal font, and an ambry (a cabinet for holy oils) were created to match the church's Gothic style. After these updates, the church's seating capacity was set to 300 people.
