St. Paul's Cathedral (Fond du Lac, Wisconsin) facts for kids
St. Paul's Cathedral is a very important church in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. It is the main church for the Episcopal Diocese of Fond du Lac. Think of it as the "headquarters" church for this area!
Contents
Early Years: Starting the Church (1848-1865)
The first Episcopal church services in Fond du Lac happened in 1842. A priest named Rev. Richard Fish Cadle led them. Later, in 1845, Bishop Jackson Kemper visited the growing village. About 400 people lived there then. Services were held at the home of Governor Nathaniel P. Tallmadge.
On September 3, 1848, St. Paul's Church was officially started. The Rev. Joshua Sweet was the Episcopal priest for the village. Many well-known families joined the new church. Some of their names, like Doty and Tallmadge, are now used for streets in Fond du Lac.
At first, these church members met in different places. But in 1851, they built their first wooden church building. It was located at the corner of Follett and Bannister (now Macy) streets.
Growing Up: A New Building (1866-1913)
By 1866, the church had grown a lot! So, the congregation moved to its current spot on West Division Street. They built a new stone church there. In the same year, people started working to create a new diocese (a church district) for Fond du Lac. By 1870, Fond du Lac was the second-largest city in Wisconsin.
The new Diocese of Fond du Lac officially began in 1875. Soon after, its new bishop, Bishop John Henry Hobart Brown, chose St. Paul's Church as the main church for the diocese. It was chosen partly because it was a 'free-church', meaning it didn't charge for pews.
In January 1884, the church building burned down. But a new, beautiful structure was built in its place! From 1889 to 1912, Bishop Charles Chapman Grafton worked hard to finish the inside of the church. They added a pulpit (a raised stand for sermons) made by a local artist. They also got a brass eagle lectern (a stand for reading).
Between 1893 and 1894, amazing German-Victorian carvings were brought from Munich. These carvings included the twelve Apostles, St. Paul, and twenty-five angels. They made the inside of the cathedral truly special.
After Bishop Grafton passed away, the Very Rev. Bernard Iddings Bell became the first Dean of St. Paul's. He served until 1917. He wrote often for The Living Church magazine. He also gained national attention for his book Right and Wrong After the War (1918).
Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel
Bishop Grafton had a special wish: he wanted to be buried inside the cathedral. So, in the year after he died (August 30, 1912), a part of the church called the Chapel of St. Michael the Archangel was redesigned.
His burial site has a beautiful white marble and red porphyry sarcophagus (a stone coffin). On top of it is a life-size statue of the bishop. This chapel became his final resting place on August 30, 1913.
See also
- List of the Episcopal cathedrals of the United States
- List of cathedrals in the United States
- Bernard Iddings Bell, Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, 1912-1919
- Albert J. duBois, canon pastor 1935-1938
