St. Michael's Catholic Church (Holbrook, Iowa)

Last updated
St. Michael’s Church, Cemetery, Rectory, and Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall
St. Michael's Holbrook, Iowa.jpg
USA Iowa location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Usa edcp location map.svg
Red pog.svg
LocationOn County Road F 52, East of Parnell, Iowa
Coordinates 41°35′24″N91°54′49.9″W / 41.59000°N 91.913861°W / 41.59000; -91.913861
Arealess than one acre
Built1867 (church)
1885 (rectory)
1899 (hall)
Architectural style Romanesque
NRHP reference No. 83000371 [1]
Added to NRHPJanuary 20, 1983

St. Michael's Catholic Church is a former parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in the unincorporated village of Holbrook, east of Parnell, Iowa, United States. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Michael's Church, Cemetery, Rectory, and Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall in 1983. [1]

Contents

Holbrook

The parish buildings represent the Irish-Catholic settlement of Holbrook. The area of Iowa County, Iowa that became known as Holbrook was settled by Irish immigrants or descendants of Irish immigrants. Thomas Hanson, one of those settlers, brought the priest from Iowa City in his lumber wagon and Mass was celebrated in his home. People from the surrounding area would gather for the Mass. The former rectory sits across the highway from the church and the former Hibernian Hall is across the cemetery to the west. The cemetery surrounds the church on three sides. Other than a few houses, they are all that is left of the village which at one time had a post office and a store. [2]

St. Michael's Parish

The parish was established in 1843 and plans to erect a church were begun. [3] A small frame church was built in what is now St. Michael's Cemetery, near the site of the present church building. The Rev. Mathias Hannon, who came to Holbrook from St. Mary's in Iowa City for the first time in 1853, described the church thus, "I said mass within before the floor was laid, had the beautiful snow for carpet, and a pine box for an altar in fact a place as forlorn as the stable wherein the Savior was born. There was no more than fourteen families." [3]

Bishop Mathias Loras of the Diocese of Dubuque assigned the Rev. Peter J. Sullivan as the first resident pastor. He built the current church building in the Romanesque Revival style in 1867. The building is constructed of brick, measures 90 by 50 feet (27 by 15 m), and cost about $2,000 to build. The pastor himself donated the paintings for the Stations of the Cross, which cost $1,000. [3] They are no longer in the church and what happened to them is unknown.

St. Michael's became a parish of the Davenport Diocese when it was established in 1881. Alterations were made to the buildings as the years continued. The bell, which is still in the tower, was cast in St. Louis in 1882. A new dome was placed on top of the bell tower during the pastorate of the Rev. Thomas King (1889–1909). During the pastorate of the Rev. Edward Gaule (1909–1917) a new sanctuary with new altars was added to the church. The new bell tower, the third one constructed on this site, was added at this time as well. An addition was added onto the rectory when the Rev. John J. Moriarity (1917–1922) was the pastor. The Rev. James M. Ryan (1922–1927) added stucco to the exterior of the church during his pastorate. [4]

In 1885 Bishop Henry Cosgrove assigned the Rev. James Davis as the pastor. He was an Irish immigrant who came to the Dubuque Diocese shortly after his ordination in 1878. At the time, St. Joseph's in Parnell was a mission to St. Michael's, and Davis built both the school and church there. He also built the front part of the present rectory in Holbrook. Four years later he was transferred to St. Margaret's Cathedral in Davenport. He would be the cathedral's rector and direct the construction of the new Sacred Heart Cathedral. The people of Holbrook considered the transfer a demotion seeing as St. Margaret's was a smaller parish. [5] Father Davis went on to become coadjutor bishop in 1904 and then Bishop of Davenport in 1906.

As the 20th century progressed the rural population of Iowa decreased, and the Holbrook area was no different. Toward the end of the century St. Michael's was clustered with other parishes in the area and served by a single priest. Finally, on March 28, 1996, Bishop William Franklin announced in The Catholic Messenger that St. Michael's would close by the end of June. [6] In a little over a century St. Michael's went from being “the largest and best parish in the diocese” to closing. [5] Rev. Richard Okumu of St. Peter's parish in Cosgrove was placed in charge of pastoral management for corporate affairs. The parish buildings were sold to the Friends of St. Michael's, who are now responsible for their upkeep.

Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall

The Hibernian Hall was built in 1899 by the local chapter of the Ancient Order of Hibernians. It was deeded to the parish corporation in 1948 and was renamed St. Michael's Parish Hall. [7] It is a 1½-story frame structure that sits to the west of the church. The building is covered in clapboard and it is capped with a gableed roof. The round-arch windows that mimic those of the church are surrounded by drip molds. There is an odd-placed rectangular window above and to one side of the entrance. It appears in an early photo of the structure, but it may not be original. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Iowa, USA

The Metropolitan Archdiocese of Dubuque is a Latin Church ecclesiastical territory or archdiocese of the Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport</span> Latin Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in Iowa, USA

The Diocese of Davenport is a Latin Church ecclesiastical jurisdiction, or diocese, of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sacred Heart Cathedral (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Sacred Heart Cathedral, located in Davenport, Iowa, United States, is a Catholic cathedral and a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The cathedral is located on a bluff overlooking the Mississippi River to the east of Downtown Davenport. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as part of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Cathedral Complex. This designation includes the church building, rectory, and the former convent, which was torn down in 2012. The cathedral is adjacent to the Cork Hill Historic District, also on the National Register. Its location on Cork Hill, a section of the city settled by Irish immigrants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Rohlman</span> German-born prelate

Henry Patrick Rohlman was a German-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in Iowa from 1927 to 1944 and as coadjutor archbishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Dubuque in Iowa from 1944 to 1954.

Aloysius Joseph Schulte (1858–1940) was an American Catholic academic who served as the first president of St. Ambrose College in Davenport, Iowa, from 1882 to 1891.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Ambrose Cathedral (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

St. Ambrose Cathedral is a historic building located in downtown Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It serves as a parish church and as the seat of the Diocese of Des Moines in the Catholic Church. The cathedral, along with the adjoining rectory, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Cosgrove</span>

Henry Cosgrove was a late 19th-century and early 20th-century bishop of the Catholic Church in the United States. He served as the second bishop of Diocese of Davenport in Iowa from 1884 to until his death in 1906.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Church and Rectory (Iowa City, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Mary's Catholic Church, also known as St. Mary of the Visitation Church, is a parish church of the Diocese of Davenport which is located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. The church building and rectory were listed together on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. They were both included as contributing properties in the Jefferson Street Historic District in 2004. The parish's first rectory, which is now a private home, is also listed on the National Register as St. Mary's Rectory. It is located a few blocks to the east of the present church location at 610 E. Jefferson St.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James J. Davis (bishop)</span> Third bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport, Iowa, USA

James Joseph Davis was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as the third bishop of the Diocese of Davenport in Iowa from 1906 to until his death in 1926.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a parish church in the Diocese of Davenport. The parish complex is located in downtown Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of Fourth and Main Streets. It is the first church congregation organized in the city of Davenport and the second Catholic congregation, after St. Raphael's in Dubuque, in the state of Iowa. The parish buildings were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church Complex in 1984. The designation includes the church and the former school building, which is the parish's original church building and the oldest standing church building in Iowa. The designation also included the rectory, which was partially torn down in 2009. The complex was also listed on the Davenport Register of Historic Properties in 1992 as St. Anthony's Church Square. The property has been known historically as Church Square. In 2020 the parish buildings, except for the parish center, were included as contributing properties in the Davenport Downtown Commercial Historic District. Because of its recent construction date, the parish center is excluded as a contributing property.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Catholic Church (Davenport, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, USA

St. Mary's Catholic Church was a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church building is located in the west end of Davenport, Iowa, United States, at the corner of Fillmore and W. 6th Streets. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex. The designation includes the church building and rectory on the west side of Fillmore Street, and the former parochial school building and convent on the east side. A former school building operated by the parish two blocks north on West Eighth Street is also on the National Register and is listed as St. Mary's Academy. The parish ceased operations in July 2020 when it was merged into St. Anthony's Church downtown. The parish campus is being acquired by the nonprofit organization Humility Homes & Services, which is operated by the Congregation of the Humility of Mary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church Historic District</span> Historic district in Iowa, United States

Saints Peter and Paul Roman Catholic Church is a former parish church of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located southeast of Harper, Iowa, United States, in Clear Creek Township, Keokuk County. The church building was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1986. The parish property was listed as a historic district in 2021. The parish was known in the Davenport Diocese as Saints Peter and Paul, Clear Creek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Bauer, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a former parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located in Dallas township in rural Marion County, Iowa, United States. It was part of the now defunct village of Bauer. The closest communities are Melcher-Dallas and Lacona. The church building still stands and together with the adjacent cemetery comprises an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Mary's Catholic Church (Riverside, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Mary's Catholic Church is a parish church of the Diocese of Davenport. The church is located at the corner of St. Mary's and Washburn Streets in the town of Riverside, Iowa, United States. The entire parish complex forms an historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places as St. Mary's Parish Church Buildings. The designation includes the church building, rectory, the former church, and former school building. The former convent, which was included in the historical designation, is no longer in existence.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holy Family Catholic Church (Fort Madison, Iowa)</span> Church in Iowa, United States

Holy Family Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The parish is the result of a merger between Saints Mary and Joseph Parish and Sacred Heart Parish in the city of Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. It maintains both of the former parish church buildings as worship sites. The oldest parish in town, St. Joseph, and St. Mary of the Assumption had merged in the 1990s. St. Mary of the Assumption Church, which became Saints Mary and Joseph, is located at 11th Street and Avenue E. It was individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980. Sacred Heart Church is located at 23rd Street and Ave I.

John George Alleman was a missionary Catholic priest who served in the states of Ohio, Iowa and Illinois. He served as a priest in the Dominican Order from 1834 to 1840, after which time he was expelled from the order. He then served as a secular priest in the Diocese of Dubuque from 1840 to 1851, and in the Diocese of Chicago from 1851 to 1863. During his hospitalization in St. Louis, Missouri, (1863–1865) he was accepted back into the Dominican Order.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Boniface Catholic Church (Westphalia, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Boniface Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Des Moines. The church is located in Westphalia, Iowa, United States, and the parish plant is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as Saint Boniface Catholic Church District. At the time of its nomination the district consisted of 16 resources, including six contributing buildings, one contributing structure, two contributing sites, one contributing object, six noncontributing buildings, and one noncontributing object.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Paul's Catholic Church (Burlington, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Paul's Catholic Church is a historic church building located in Burlington, Iowa, United States. Together with the Church of St. John the Baptist in Burlington and St Mary's Church in West Burlington it forms Divine Mercy parish, which is a part of the Diocese of Davenport. The parish maintains the former parish church buildings as worship sites. St. Paul's Church and the rectory are contributing properties in the Heritage Hill Historic District listed on the National Register of Historic Places. St. Paul's School was also a contributing property in the historic district, but it has subsequently been torn down.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Joseph's Church Complex (Fort Madison, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

The St. Joseph's Church Complex is a collection of historic buildings located in Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. At one time the complex housed a Catholic parish in the Diocese of Davenport. St. Joseph and St. Mary of the Assumption parishes merged in the 1990s to form Saints Mary and Joseph Parish. In 2007 when that parish merged with Sacred Heart on the west side to form Holy Family Parish, St. Joseph's Church was closed. The former church, chapel, rectory, convent, and school were included as contributing properties in the Park-to-Park Residential Historic District that was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Anthony's Catholic Church (Des Moines, Iowa)</span> United States historic place

St. Anthony's Catholic Church is a Catholic parish church in the Diocese of Des Moines located on the south side of Des Moines, Iowa, United States. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2021.

References

  1. 1 2 "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places . National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
  2. 1 2 James E. Jacobsen. "National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form: St. Michael's Church, Cemetery, Rectory, and Ancient Order of Hibernians Hall". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved 2015-02-11. with photos
  3. 1 2 3 "St. Michael's Church". Friends of Old St. Michael’s. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  4. ↑ "Pastors of St. Michael's". Friends of St. Michael’s. Retrieved 2010-06-07.
  5. 1 2 Schmidt, Madeleine M. (1981). Seasons of Growth: History of the Diocese of Davenport. Davenport, Iowa: Diocese of Davenport. p. 159.
  6. ↑ Most Rev. Wm E. Franklin, Bishop of Davenport; Msgr. Leo Feeney, Chancellor, (March 28, 1996) "OFFICIAL: Closures" The Catholic Messenger, p. 3
  7. ↑ "St. Michael's Church Holbrook and the Old Man Creek Settlement" (PDF). Brennan Printing (1981). Retrieved 2014-04-18.

"Friends of Old St. Michael's". Friends of Old St. Michael's. Archived from the original on 2015-02-12.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.