|
Parish History
Timeline
back to previous page
|
| 1866.... |
The township of
Melrose was established by settlers from the state of Maine.
|
|
1872.....
|
Twelve Irish Catholic
families formed St. Patrick's parish, the first organized church in
Melrose. They built a wooden building and were served first by
Father Augustine and then by visiting priests.
|
| 1878..... |
The area's 12-14
German Catholic families created their own Catholic parish named St.
Boniface. There was apparent conflict between the two ethnic groups
that settled in the area, so they chose to form their own congregations.
|
| 1879..... |
The parishioners
of St. Boniface built a church to seat 150, across the street from the
present St. Mary's church. It was a 30X90 foot wood-frame structure
that cost $3,000 to build. Their first pastor was Father Paul
Rettenmeier, O.S.B.
|
| 1881.... |
Melrose became
an incorporated village.
|
| 1882..... |
St. Boniface
parish created a Catholic school combined with a convent. There were
apporximately56students in the new school.
|
| 1889..... |
St. Boniface
built it's first rectory to the south of the old church.
|
| 1892..... |
The school
student population swelled to 200, in this rapidly growing area.
|
| 1898..... |
Bishop Trobec dedicated
the newly constructed St. Boniface Church. This is the present day
St. Mary's building and was constructed at a cost of $50,000. It was
completely paid for on the dedication day. The old church structure
was converted to a school
|
| 1907..... |
A new rectory
was created in the Queen Anne architectural style.
|
| 1910..... |
The St. Boniface
school structure , along with the original rectory, was destroyed by fire
on Jan 5th.
|
| 1911..... |
A new twelve
room school was built at a cost of $45,000, to accommodate 450 students
from both St. Boniface and St. Patrick's parishes. Julius Otte was
it's janitor for a number of years.
|
| 1916..... |
St. Patrick's
replaced their original church structure with a cement block building
faced with stucco. Classrooms were on the first floor.
The second was an additional classroom (for high school) and meeting
space. It was an auditorium with a stage. At a later date, Father
Julig moved the alter to the east side of the basement area and
reconfigured the worship space.
|
| 1917..... |
St. Patrick's
started a high school.
|
| 1921..... |
St. Boniface
parish also created a high school. Neither school remained open
long.
|
| 1923..... |
Great Northern
Railroad Division moved from Melrose, forcing many Irish families to leave
the community in order to retain work.
|
| 1926..... |
St. Boniface
Parish built a social hall known as the St. Boniface Recreation Center, or
"Dutch Hall" and was used for dances, an auditorium and a
bowling alley. Melrose High School used it for plays, graduation
exercises and it's basketball games.
|
| 1938..... |
St. Patrick's
frame church was dismantled by Stephen Engelmeyer and the lumber was used
to build a hall in St. Rosa. It's still standing and know as Linda
B's.
|
| 1953..... |
St. Boniface
built a new convent to house the Sisters who staffed the St. Boniface
School.
|
| 1958..... |
The Bishop of
the St. Cloud Diocese decided that St. Boniface and St. Patrick parishes
would merge into a new parish named St. Mary's. At the time, St.
Patrick's was outgrowing it's church space and was hoping to build a new
church. Father Francis Julig became the pastor of the new St. Mary's
Parish.
|
| 1964..... |
Construction began on a
new school building for K-8 grade students. This was completed in
1965 and was named St. Mary's School. The
old St. Boniface School became the Melrose Public Elementary School.
|
| 1968..... |
St. Mary's
School was changed to serve grades 1-6 and enrollment stood at 450
students.
|
| 1970..... |
St. Patrick's
Church building structure was demolished to make way for the Roseview
Manor.
|
| 1984..... |
The old
St. Boniface School building was razed after the public school students
moved to the addition to the junior high school building. The
convent east of the old school building is now called "Mary
Hall" and is leased to various groups.
|
| 1992..... |
A Kindergarten
program was implemented at St. Mary's School.
|
| 1993..... |
St. Mary's
Church and rectory are placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
|
