St. Mary's Catholic Church (Guttenberg, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Catholic Church
Historic District |
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | 502, 518, and 520 S. 2nd St. and 214 Herder St., Guttenberg, Iowa |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1894 (school) 1899 (rectory) 1904 (church) 1926 (convent) |
| Architect | Rev. Joseph H. Brinkman Carimir Ignatius Krajewski |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival Colonial Revival Tudor Revival |
| MPS | Guttenberg MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 04000817 |
| Added to NRHP | August 12, 2004 |
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a special place in Guttenberg, Iowa. It is part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, which is like a big family of churches. This church and its nearby buildings are so important that they are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are officially recognized as a historic district! The district includes the church itself, plus the rectory (where the priest lives), the convent (where nuns used to live), and the school building.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Church Buildings
The St. Mary's church community started in 1851. Their very first church building was a small wooden structure built that same year. It was about 20 by 28 feet (6.1 by 8.5 meters).
Just two years later, in 1853, a new brick church was built. The original wooden church then became the parish's first school.
In 1865, people wanted to build an even bigger church. However, they couldn't agree on where to build it, so those plans didn't work out. Eventually, they decided to move all the church property to a new spot. A new stone church was finished there in 1874.
New Buildings by Father Brinkman
In 1889, Father Joseph Brinkman became the pastor. He was known for helping build the impressive Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa. Father Brinkman designed several new buildings for St. Mary's.
First, a new school was built in 1894 because the old one was too small. This new school was a 50-by-70-foot (15 by 21 m) building in the Colonial Revival style. It cost about $8,000. After the new school was ready, the old school building was turned into a convent for the nuns.
Next, the old rectory (the priest's house) started to fall apart. In 1899, a new rectory was built. This new house was a two-story brick building, also in the Colonial Revival style, with some Italianate touches. It cost about $3,500. The old rectory was moved to a different spot in town.
Building the Current Church
People had been wanting a bigger church since 1892. Father Brinkman suggested adding a side wing to the 1874 church. But the church members decided they could build a completely new church instead.
Construction for the current church began in 1902 and it was finished in 1904. It saved a lot of money that Father Brinkman designed the church himself, so they didn't have to pay an architect.
Later Additions and Changes
In 1921, a wing was added to the south side of the school building. This was to make space for more students and to expand the school to include ten grades.
Father Brinkman had planned to build a new convent for the nuns, as the old one (the first school building) was getting very old. However, he passed away in 1925 before he could do it.
His successor, Father Joseph A. Dupont, made sure the nuns got a proper home. He hired a trained architect named Carimir Ignatius Krajewski from Dubuque, Iowa. The new convent was built in 1926 for $13,545. It was designed in the Tudor Revival style. The old convent was then torn down.
In 1961, another new school building was constructed where the old convent used to be. This new building was used along with the 1894 school.
The high school part of St. Mary's closed in 1968. That same year, the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration, who had served the parish for 98 years, left. The grade school then joined with Immaculate Conception School in North Buena Vista, Iowa.
Architecture of St. Mary's Church
The church building itself is designed in the Gothic Revival style. It has a cross shape when viewed from above. A cool feature is its two tall spires that stand on either side of the main entrance.
The church was first planned to be built with sandstone. But after the stone foundation was finished, they decided to use bricks instead. These bricks came all the way from St. Louis, Missouri.
The church is 152 feet (46 m) long and 62 feet (19 m) wide. It is 74 feet (23 m) wide at the transept (the part that sticks out like the arms of the cross). The church is big enough to seat 800 people! Its bell towers are 146 feet (45 m) high, making them the tallest structures in town.
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School is an important part of the church community. The school first opened its doors in 1853. In 1860, it got a two-story building.
The current school building was constructed in 1894 and cost $5,000. At first, it was just a grade school. Later, a high school section was added, with its own building built in 1921. The high school became officially recognized in 1925.
In 1968, the Immaculate Conception School from North Buena Vista joined with St. Mary's. That same year, the high school section of St. Mary's closed down.
