St. Joseph Church History and Photos
The first Mass was celebrated in what would become St. Joseph Parish on August 6, 1835 by Father Christian Hoecken, a Jesuit from St. Louis. Mass continued to be celebrated in people’s homes until a log church could be built. In 1848 the cornerstone of the present church was laid. In 1883 the bell tower was added. In that same year the Jesuits turned the community over to the Archdiocese of St. Louis, and Father Anton Diepenbrock became the first diocesan priest assigned to St. Joseph. The church was consecrated on October 24, 1894 by Archbishop Kain, with Bishop Bonacum of Lincoln offering a Pontifical Mass.
The church was expanded in 1905 and given a larger sanctuary, a higher ceiling, a clerestory and the present stained glass windows. The windows were made by Emil Frei Company of St. Louis. The double balcony that resulted from this expansion is still in use today.
In 2020 the church was again renovated, including structural improvements and electrical work, as well as care for the murals, windows, and other aesthetic concerns. The former mural of Christ welcoming the children was moved to overlook a major side entrance, and a new mural of the crucifixion was painted above the sanctuary.