St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Cedar
Encyclopedia
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Cedar is a former parish of the Diocese of Sioux City
. The church is located west of Churdan, Iowa
, United States
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. It has been reduced in status to an oratory
.
was settled by Irish Catholics in the 1850s. Father Marsh from Fort Dodge
said the first Mass in June 1863 in the home of Myles Fitzpatrick. Other missionary priests who served the area included Fathers Delaney, Concannon, Barry, McGrath, Mulvehill, O'Farrell, and Quirk. Fitzpatrick donated five acres of land for a church in 1872, and the lumber to build the building. It was the first Catholic church in Greene County. The white frame building with a bell tower was built by L. Isaac Ritchie. The first pastor assigned to the parish was the Rev. George Costello, who was pastor at St. Patrick’s Lohrville
at the same time. The parish was founded in the Diocese of Dubuque
and became a part of the Diocese of Sioux City when it was established in 1902.
A new church was built in 1915 in the Romanesque Revival style. The building was designed by William LeBarthe Steele and built by C. F. Mayer of Humboldt
. It was constructed of matt-faced brick and stone at a cost of $24,000.00. It was dedicated by Bishop Philip J. Garrigan
of Sioux City, on November 7, 1915. Four years later on Sunday, June 15, 1919, the building caught fire and was reduced to a brick shell. In the years following it was rebuilt using the old foundation and walls.
The Great Depression
was a difficult time for the parish. It owed the American Savings Bank in Carroll
$2,383.99. The church property was put into receivership on September 6, 1934. Dennis Hayes bought the property in a public sale, the note was paid on July 6, 1936 and the property was returned to the parish.
The church building started to deteriorate in the 1970s and 80s and it was extensively renovated. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. St. Patrick’s was part of the first parish cluster in the Sioux City diocese in 1988 when it was clustered with St. Columbkille's, St. John's Paton
and St. Bridget's Grand Junction
. In 1995 the cluster was changed to include St. Patrick’s and St. Columbkille's as before and St. Paul's Scranton
. In August 1996 the parish was reduced in status to an oratory.
Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City is the Roman Catholic diocese for the northwestern quarter of the state of Iowa, US The diocese comprises 24 counties in northwestern Iowa, and it covers an area of ....
. The church is located west of Churdan, Iowa
Churdan, Iowa
Churdan is a city in Greene County, Iowa, United States. The population was 418 at the 2000 census. It also has one of the last WeatherSTAR 4000 in the country.-Geography:Churdan is located at ....
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. It has been reduced in status to an oratory
Oratory (worship)
An oratory is a Christian room for prayer, from the Latin orare, to pray.-Catholic church:In the Roman Catholic Church, an oratory is a structure other than a parish church, set aside by ecclesiastical authority for prayer and the celebration of Mass...
.
History
The Cedar Creek area of Greene County, IowaGreene County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 9,336 in the county, with a population density of . There were 4,546 housing units, of which 3,996 were occupied.-2000 census:...
was settled by Irish Catholics in the 1850s. Father Marsh from Fort Dodge
Fort Dodge, Iowa
Fort Dodge is a city and county seat of Webster County, Iowa, United States, along the Des Moines River. The population was 25,206 in the 2010 census, an increase from 25,136 in the 2000 census. Fort Dodge is a major commercial center for North Central and Northwest Iowa. It is located on U.S...
said the first Mass in June 1863 in the home of Myles Fitzpatrick. Other missionary priests who served the area included Fathers Delaney, Concannon, Barry, McGrath, Mulvehill, O'Farrell, and Quirk. Fitzpatrick donated five acres of land for a church in 1872, and the lumber to build the building. It was the first Catholic church in Greene County. The white frame building with a bell tower was built by L. Isaac Ritchie. The first pastor assigned to the parish was the Rev. George Costello, who was pastor at St. Patrick’s Lohrville
Lohrville, Iowa
Lohrville is a city in Calhoun County, Iowa, United States. The population was 431 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Lohrville is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
at the same time. The parish was founded in the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
and became a part of the Diocese of Sioux City when it was established in 1902.
A new church was built in 1915 in the Romanesque Revival style. The building was designed by William LeBarthe Steele and built by C. F. Mayer of Humboldt
Humboldt, Iowa
Humboldt is a city in Humboldt County, Iowa, United States. The population was 4,690 at the 2010 census, gaining 238 people since the 2000 census.- History :...
. It was constructed of matt-faced brick and stone at a cost of $24,000.00. It was dedicated by Bishop Philip J. Garrigan
Philip Joseph Garrigan
Philip Joseph Garrigan was a Roman Catholic clergyman.Garrigan was born in Whitegate, Ireland in 1840, he came to the United States with his parents, and received his elementary education in the public schools of Lowell, Massachusetts. He pursued his classical course at St...
of Sioux City, on November 7, 1915. Four years later on Sunday, June 15, 1919, the building caught fire and was reduced to a brick shell. In the years following it was rebuilt using the old foundation and walls.
The Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
was a difficult time for the parish. It owed the American Savings Bank in Carroll
Carroll, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 10,103 in the city, with a population density of . There were 4,698 housing units, of which 4,357 were occupied....
$2,383.99. The church property was put into receivership on September 6, 1934. Dennis Hayes bought the property in a public sale, the note was paid on July 6, 1936 and the property was returned to the parish.
The church building started to deteriorate in the 1970s and 80s and it was extensively renovated. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1992. St. Patrick’s was part of the first parish cluster in the Sioux City diocese in 1988 when it was clustered with St. Columbkille's, St. John's Paton
Paton, Iowa
Paton is a city in Greene County, Iowa, United States. The population was 265 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Paton is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
and St. Bridget's Grand Junction
Grand Junction, Iowa
Grand Junction is a city in Greene County, Iowa, United States. The population was 964 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Grand Junction is located at ....
. In 1995 the cluster was changed to include St. Patrick’s and St. Columbkille's as before and St. Paul's Scranton
Scranton, Iowa
Scranton is a city in Greene County, Iowa, United States. The population was 604 at the 2000 census.-History:Scranton's water tower, built in 1897, is the oldest working water tower in Iowa and 9th oldest in the United States. A fire occurred at the tower in 1907, initially started to melt ice...
. In August 1996 the parish was reduced in status to an oratory.