St. Joseph's Catholic Church Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Joseph's Catholic Church Complex
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Location | 818 N. East Ave., Waukesha, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1.9 acres (0.77 ha) |
| Built | 1888 |
| Architect | A. Druiding |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival, Late Victorian |
| MPS | Waukesha MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 83004355 |
| Added to NRHP | October 28, 1983 |
The St. Joseph's Catholic Church Complex is a special group of historic buildings located in Waukesha, Wisconsin. The main church building was finished in 1888. Because of its amazing design, the entire complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 28, 1983. This means it's an important place to protect and remember!
Contents
The Church's Early Days
The St. Joseph's church community, also called a parish, started way back in 1842. It was the very first Catholic church in Waukesha. A kind person named Solomon Juneau gave them their first church building. It was a simple log cabin, right where the complex stands today.
In 1844, the community built a stronger church out of stone. This old stone building has been used for many things over the years. It has been a parish hall (a place for church events), a school, and even a medical clinic. This 1844 building has been changed a lot, so it's not part of the historic listing anymore.
Building the Main Church
In 1888, the church community decided they needed a much bigger church. They hired a famous architect named Adolphus Druiding from Chicago to design it. He created the church in a style called High Victorian Gothic. This style loves tall, soaring lines, making buildings look very grand.
The outside of the church is made from rough, uneven limestone blocks. It has many beautiful details:
- Round rose windows
- Tall, narrow lancet windows
- Lots of pointed roof sections called gables
- Tall, pointy towers called spires
Each gable on the roof has a cross on top. The church's design is not perfectly even on both sides. It has a very large tower on one side of the main entrance. This tower rises up to a super tall steeple that also has a cross on its very top.
The Historic Brown House
The Brown House is another important part of the St. Joseph's Complex that is listed as historic. It was built around 1878. This house has two stories and is made of brick. Its design mixes two styles:
- Greek Revival: This style often uses simple, strong shapes, like ancient Greek temples.
- Italianate: This style adds fancy details, often with decorative brackets under the roof.
The Brown House was first the home of Martin Brown, who made horse harnesses. Later, the church used the house as a convent. A convent is a place where religious sisters (nuns) live and work.
Why These Buildings Are Important
Both the main church building and the Brown House were added to the National Register of Historic Places because of their amazing architecture. They are some of the best examples of their building styles that are still standing in Waukesha today. They help us understand the history and art of building from a long time ago!
