Property Record
5901 COTTAGE GROVE RD
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Founder Shrine |
|---|---|
| Other Name: | Schoenstatt Heights Sisters of Mary |
| Contributing: | |
| Reference Number: | 4824 |
| Location (Address): | 5901 COTTAGE GROVE RD |
|---|---|
| County: | Dane |
| City: | |
| Township/Village: | Blooming Grove |
| Unincorporated Community: | |
| Town: | 7 |
| Range: | 10 |
| Direction: | E |
| Section: | 11 |
| Quarter Section: | NW |
| Quarter/Quarter Section: | SE |
| Year Built: | 1952 |
|---|---|
| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 197720142022 |
| Historic Use: | roadside chapel/grotto/shrine |
| Architectural Style: | Late Gothic Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Stucco |
| Architect: | |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
|---|---|
| National Register Listing Date: | |
| State Register Listing Date: |
| Additional Information: | A 'site file' titled 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, Division of Historic Preservation. The Queen of Apostles Seminary Chapel was constructed in 1952 in a very simple Neogothic Revival style. This small, 1- story building is rectangular in plan with stucco walls and an asphalt-shingled, steeply-pitched front-gabled roof. The front elevation faces east and is symmetrical in plan with a central doorway located within an arched recess. The front door is of solid wood construction with wooden pilasters on each side. Stained glass windows are located on each side elevation. The interior contains two rows of pews with kneelers and a central altarpiece of carved wood. The Queen of Apostles Seminary Chapel (now known as the Schoenstatt Heights Sisters of Mary Chapel) is notable as the first Schoenstatt shrine constructed in the United States. The Schoenstatt movement was founded by Father Joseph Kentenich in Germany in 1914 as an organization within the Catholic church. The Queen of Apostles Seminary Chapel was constructed in 1952 near the Queen of Apostles Seminary (on the north side of Cottage Grove Rd) by Father Kentenich on his first visit to the United States. When the seminary closed in 1979, the "Founder Shrine" was moved to the south side of Cottage Grove Road (a move of approximately 1,200 ft). One of the distinguishing features of the worldwide Schoenstatt movement has been the construction of its small shrines, each of which is identical to the original shrine in Schoenstatt, Germany. Following the construction of this first US shrine in 1952, ten other Schoenstatt shrines were constructed across the country, three of which are in Wisconsin. The building is in excellent condition and retains a moderate degree of integrity (the building was relocated across Cottage Grove Road in 1979 so that its integrity of setting is diminished). As a representative of Neogothic Revival architecture, the Queen of Apostles Seminary Chapel displays the steeply-pitched roof and arched windows typical of the style, but few other associated features. As a roadside chapel/shrine property type, the building is primarily defined by its diminutive scale, proximity to a well-traveled roadway, and its function as a pilgrimage site rather than as a weekly place of worship. This building was previously surveyed in 1977 and relocated in 1979, as noted in the AHI record. With the exception of its new location, no changes are visible. The AHI record was updated with the new survey date and unchanged appearance. 2022: No visible changes. |
|---|---|
| Bibliographic References: | Wisconsin State Journal, p. 6D, 2/20/1992. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |