| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, State Historic Preservation Office.
THIS BRICK CHURCH WAS BUILT BY IRISH SETTLERS IN 1847 (SEE BIB. REF. A), AND LATER, BETWEEN 1895 AND 1915, ALTERATIONS WERE MADE TO THE DESIGN. (SEE BIB. REF. C). FRONT-GABLED IN ENTRANCE ORIENTATION AND RECTANGULAR IN PLAN, THIS ONE-STORY GOTHIC REVIVAL CHRUCH FEATURES A GABLE ROOF AND A CENTRAL TOWER WITH CROSS GABLES RISING OVER ONE GABLE END. POINTED-ARCH OPENINGS, BUTRESSES, AND DECORATIVE BRICK-WORK ALSO APPEAR. ST. THOMAS CATHOLIC CHRUCH, AS IT IS HISTORICALLY KNOWN, IS CONSIDERED TO BE IN EXCELLENT CONDITION. (SEE BIB. REF. B).
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND:
ST. THOMAS CATHOLIC CHURCH IN POTOSI WAS ORGANIZED IN 1836, AND TWO YEARS LATER, A LOG BUILDING WAS ERECTED AS THE CONGREGATION'S FIRST CHURCH. FROM ITS FOUNDING UNTIL 1840, WHEN A RESIDENT PASTOR WAS INSTALLED, THE PARISH RELIED ON MISSIONARY PRIESTS AND ON FATHER MATHIAS LORDS, BISHOP OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, AND FATHER SAMUEL MAZZUCHELLI, PASTOR AT GALENA, ILLINOIS. A LOG PASTORAGE (NO LONGER STANDING) ALSO CONSTRUCTED IN 1838 HOUSED THESE VISITING PRIESTS. (SEE BIB. REF. A).
IN 1847, THE CURRENT BRICK CHURCH WAS ERECTED AT A COST OF $11,000. BETWEEN 1895 AND 1915 THIS STRUCTURE WAS SUBSTANTILALLY ALTERED. THE ORIGINAL BUILDING IS INCLUDED IN OLD POTOSI. (SEE BIB. REF. C).
ALSO ASSOCIATED WITH ST. THOMAS CHURCH WAS A BRICK PARSONAGE, CONSTRUCTED IN C. 1845 AS ST MATHIAS FEMALE SEMINARY. LOCATED JUST SOUTH OF THE CHURCH, THE BUILDING WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1976. (SEE PHOTO IN OLD POTOSI). IN C. 1913 THE CURRENT PARSONAGE (178 MAIN STREET, 49/23) WAS ERECTED. A MALE ACADEMY (NO LONGER STANDING), COMPLETED THE ST. THOMAS COMPLEX. THE STONE SCHOOL STOOD DIRECTLY ACROSS FROM THE CHURCH. (SEE PHOTO IN OLD POTOSI). |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. HARRY H. HEMING, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN WISCONSIN (MILWAUKEE: CAHTOLIC HISTORICAL PUBLISHING CO., 1895-98), P. 508.
B. ON BUILDING.
C. CELESTINE AND GWENDOLYN KALTENBACH, OLD POTOSI (POTOSI: PRIVATELY PUBLISHED, 1976).
E. LANCASTER-GRANT CO. HERALD INDEPENDENT, 10/24/91. |
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