Property Record
1102 CALEDONIA ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | St. James Catholic Church |
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| Other Name: | St. James Catholic Church |
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| Reference Number: | 33584 |
| Location (Address): | 1102 CALEDONIA ST |
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| County: | La Crosse |
| City: | La Crosse |
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| Year Built: | 1900 |
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| Additions: | 1901 |
| Survey Date: | 19962016 |
| Historic Use: | house of worship |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Andrew Roth |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | Red brick surface broken by the extensive use of white brick bands and borders that link the round arch windows across the facade, that accent the blind arcade across the tops of the tower, the facade and the parapet, and that outline the front gable, the round arched entrance, the round windows, and that form a square border around the round window in the south tower. Gable roofed transept; five-sided apse on east side; long nave proceeded by vestibule; front facade flanked by a square pyramidal roofed tower and taller square domed tower and belfry; projecting center entrance bay with articulated gable and large round arch stained glass window; sand blasted exterior? Constructed in 1900-1901 after the original frame church built when the parish was established in 1886 was destroyed by fire, St. James Catholic Church is one of two continuing Catholic parish churches of significant historic architectural character remaining in the City as well as one of two turn of the century brick Romanesque church designs, (also Evangelical Lutheran, 400 West Ave., 20-3) in the city. The parish was established in 1884 and the original frame structure burned in 1900. The original stain glass in this church building (1900-1901) came from the Art Glass Company, 123 South Front Street, La Crosse. Related buildings: St. Clara's Convent (1120 Caledonia St.); St. James Grade School (716 Windsor). General contractor: Peter Nelson & Co.; L. Doten, stone masonry; Frank Techmer, brick work, Geo. Gagenesch, cut stone work. A Romanesque Revival influenced church enlivened by contrasting materials popular in the Victorian era, St. James Church has a red brick surface that is broken into patterns by th extensive use of white brick bands and borders that link the round arched windows across the facade, that accent the blind arcade across the tops of the tower, the facade and the parapet, and that outline the front gable, the round arched entrance, the round windows, and that form a square border around the round window in the south tower. Featuring a gable roofed transept and a five sided apse, the gable roofed chruch has a long nave preceded by a vestibule and flanked by a pyramidal roofed tower and a domed tower and belfry. Red brick from Winona, white brick from Merrimac, WI, blue bedford stone. Segelke-Kohlhaus were contractors. 2016 UPDATE - BUILDING LOOKS MUCH LIKE IT DID WHEN LAST SURVEYED IN 1996. |
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| Bibliographic References: | (A) A. Sanford and H. Hirshheimer, A History of La Crosse (La Crosse, 1951), p. 233. (B) L.P. Philippi, La Crosse Illustrated (La Crosse: Philippi Publishing Co., 1904; Reprint: 1978), p. 72. (C) Telephone interview, Parish Office, St. James Catholic Church. (D) La Crosse Argus, August 3, 1907. (E) La Crosse of Today (1904), p. 19. (F) "St. James Catholic Church Directory." Columbia S.C.: Olan Mills, 1986; on file in the church history files of the LaCrosse Public Library, LaCrosse, Wisconsin. (G) La Crosse Argus, 24 November 1900, 9 March 1901. (H) La Crosse Chronicle, 12 September 1900 p.5. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |