Property Record
220 S MICHIGAN ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church |
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| Reference Number: | 233587 |
| Location (Address): | 220 S MICHIGAN ST |
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| County: | Brown |
| City: | De Pere |
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| Year Built: | 1972 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2017 |
| Historic Use: | house of worship |
| Architectural Style: | Brutalism |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Concrete |
| Architect: | Quentin Hofman (De Pere) |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 2017 survey recommendation write-up: Constructed of pre-cast concrete panels set at an angle, this 1970s Contemporary-style church embraced the modern technology and materials of the period. Concrete dominates the exterior, however, cut fieldstone and a large window wall finish both the northwest and east entrances. A two-story, open belltower anchors the building at its northwest corner. On the interior, steel open truss joists allow for the storage of the building’s mechanicals above the acoustical ceiling. Wood paneling is utilized throughout and the floor is carpeted. Tall and narrow panels of colored glass allow light into the nave. Originally designed with a folding door that separated the nave from the narthex, a glass wall now separates the two spaces. Unique to the church is a fireplace that is located within the narthex. St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church was completed in 1972. The history of the area’s Catholicism goes back to the 1600s, when Fr. Claudius Allouez established a mission along the east bank of the Fox River. However, the first Catholic congregation to form during the nineteenth century was St. Francis Xavier, which built their first edifice in 1859. Within a decade, the Hollander population broke off to form Immaculate Conception (present-day St. Mary’s) and St. Joseph’s (in West De Pere) followed soon thereafter, along with St. Boniface (also in West De Pere). In 1905, St. Francis Xavier built a new brick edifice which served the congregation well until a storm in 1970 blew off the steeple, causing significant damage; this following the completion of a $20,000 renovation of the church’s interior. Following evaluation of the damage, it was determined that a new house of worship be built. While the consulting architectural firm at that time was Green Bay’s John E. Sommerville, Inc., the architect chosen for the new church building was Quentin Hofman of Hofman & Associates in (West) De Pere. Quentin Hofman was born in Marion, Waupaca County, Wisconsin. Following service in World War II (working as a carpenter), he would go on to attend the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, from which he graduated. By no later than 1955, he was working for Green Bay architect Harry Williams, during which time he would design St. Mary’s Catholic Church (1961) in Marion, Wisconsin. The Marion church, which also features slab concrete construction, was the focus of an article in the Green Bay Press-Gazette, which cited testament to those both for and against the modern-style house worship. While little was found regarding Hofman’s work, it is evident that he embraced strong, clean lines and the use of modern materials. Among his known works are a number of churches, including Holy Family Catholic Church (1970) in Wittenberg. Hofman died in 1994. Following the selection of Hofman as architect in May 1971, Rev. John Feeney reported that “the new church would follow the guidelines set down by the diocesan subcommission on art and architecture.” The cost estimate for the new church was reported as $180,000. Fr. Feeney remarked that it would be “sort of traditional and I hope quite economical” and he also hoped to be in the building by the end of the year. The design ultimately chosen--an equilateral triangle representing the Holy Trinity--was anything but traditional and it was not completed until nearly one year later, with dedication services held in September of 1972. The church continues to serve the St. Francis Xavier congregation. |
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| Bibliographic References: | Citations for recommendation information found below in Additional Comments: “History of St. Francis Xavier Parish,” Available on the church website at www.stfrancisdepere.org/parHist/ index.php, Accessed August 2017; “Renovated Church Re-Dedication,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 11 April 1970, 6; “Architect Chosen for New Church for De Pere Parish,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 13 May 1971, 31; “New Church Replaces Old,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 25 September 1972, 5. “World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946,” “U.S. School Yearbooks, 1880-2012,” and “Wisconsin Death Index, 1959-1997,” All three available online at www.Ancestry.com, Accessed August 2017; 1955 Green Bay City Directory, 1955; “The Press-Gazette Visits: Marion” (includes rendering of church), Green Bay Press-Gazette, 12 November 1961, 18; Charles House, “Holy Family Catholic Church Dedication Set Sunday,” Wausau Daily Herald, 30 October 1970, 11. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |