St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Georgetown, Iowa) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church
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 Location in Iowa
Location in the United States
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| Location | US Highway 34, west of Albia, Iowa |
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| Area | 1.7 acres (0.69 ha) |
| Built | 1865 |
| Architect | Rev. Timothy Clifford |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 92000426 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1992 |
St. Patrick's Catholic Church is a special church in rural Monroe County, Iowa. It's found near Albia, Iowa, on Highway 34. The church is part of the Davenport Diocese and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which means it's an important historical site. It's located in a small area called Georgetown.
Contents
History of St. Patrick's Church
Early Days and Irish Settlers
The area around Georgetown was first settled by people from Ireland. Many of them came from St. Louis, Missouri and Pennsylvania. They moved here to help build the first railroad west of the Des Moines River. This settlement was first called Staceyville.
In the 1840s, the whole state of Iowa was part of the Dubuque Diocese. Priests would visit the area to hold church services in people's homes. In 1851, a small log church was built. It was named St. Gregory's.
Building a New Church
As more Irish families moved to the area, the community grew. They needed a bigger church! So, they decided to build a new one about a mile west, closer to Staceyville.
Construction on the new St. Gregory's Church began in 1860. It was finished in 1865, after being delayed by the American Civil War. The church was designed by a priest named Rev. Timothy Clifford. It was built using brick and sandstone in the Gothic Revival style. The sandstone came from a nearby quarry.
This church became a center for Catholic communities in southern Iowa. Its pastor visited many towns, including Afton, Chariton, and Melrose.
In 1872, the church was renamed St. Patrick's. This was to honor the many Irish families who attended. Later, Staceyville was also renamed Georgetown. When the Davenport Diocese was created in 1881, St. Patrick's became part of it.
Church Improvements Over Time
Many beautiful additions were made to the church over the years:
- In 1892, colorful stained glass windows were installed.
- A small bell tower with a short spire was added to the roof in 1903. It holds a bell bought in 1896.
- From 1905 to 1906, the inside of the church was updated. This included a sloped floor, a fancy tin ceiling, new pews (church benches), altars, and statues.
- A large pipe organ was put in the back of the church in 1924.
The Parish School
St. Patrick's also had a school. It was run by a group of Sisters called the Congregation of the Humility of Mary. This school was special because it operated like a public school. This was common in areas where almost everyone was Catholic.
The state of Iowa required all areas to have a school. So, these church schools helped meet that need. The state even helped pay for some things, like the Sisters' salaries and books.
Over time, there were some legal questions about this setup. In 1953, a new state law stopped state money from going to these schools. The school at Georgetown decided to hire regular teachers instead of the Sisters so they could keep getting state help. The school eventually closed in 1959.
Recent Changes and Challenges
The church building had a big makeover in the late 1950s. The altar was moved, and a central heating system was put in. A kitchen and meeting rooms were added to the side. The beautiful tin ceiling was covered up, and new walls and flooring were installed.
St. Patrick's faced challenges from nature too. Two tornadoes hit the church in 1963 and 1969, damaging its roof.
As fewer priests became available, St. Patrick's no longer had its own full-time priest. Since the 1990s, it has been managed by a lay Parish Life Coordinator, with a priest overseeing things from another parish. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1992.
New Additions to the Grounds
More recently, the church grounds have seen new additions:
- In 2002, a memorial garden with a new statue of St. Patrick was added. It honors a former pastor, Rev. Mark Swanson.
- A new parish hall, a building for church events, was built in 2006.
Church Architecture
St. Patrick's Church is a large building, about 100-by-60-foot (30 by 18 m). It's made of sandstone that varies in color from light beige to brown. The stones are rough-cut and come in different sizes.
The front of the church, called the main facade, has a central double-door entrance. On each side, there used to be single-door entrances, but these were closed during a renovation around 1959-1960.
The facade is divided into three sections by four buttresses, which are supports that stick out from the wall. Above all three entryways are Lancet windows, which are tall, narrow windows with pointed tops. There are also six-pointed arch windows along the sides of the church.
On the north side of the church, there is a rose window, which is a large, round, decorative window. However, you can't see it from inside the church anymore because of the lowered ceiling and new wall added in 1956.
