Leopold, Missouri
Encyclopedia
Leopold is an unincorporated community in eastern Bollinger County
in Southeast Missouri
in the United States
. It is located four miles east on Highway N about seven miles southeast of Marble Hill
. The community consists of roughly 65 residents and has one of the smallest public high schools in the state of Missouri. Heavily Roman Catholic
and of Dutch-German
descent, the community is one of the most affluent in Southeast Missouri.
Leopold is part of the Cape Girardeau
–Jackson
, MO-IL
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is well known for its annual Leopold Picnic and its public school which excels in both academics and athletics.
after two years of living here.
These families traveled down the Ohio River
and up the Mississippi River
by boat to Cape Girardeau
and then found the community of Vinemount. Other families followed them and the community was starting to unfold.
In 1894 the first post office was built to serve the town of Vinemount. In the process of building the post office, they realized there was already a post office in Missouri by the name of Vinemount. This was when a name change was in order. The people then decided on the name of "Leopolis" (City of Leo), in honor of the Pope
. This name was rejected and the present name, Leopold, was then proposed and accepted.
until 1973 when he returned with his family to the Leopold area and built the modern three-bay service facility on a farm on Highway F, purchased from Herman Beussink. Years later, Fred Beussink moved his business into Leopold. This is now a transmission service and gas station entitled Beussink’s Transmission Service.
in Leopold. On September 26, 1967 the KCs purchased land from William Spooler. This is the property where the K of C Hall is now located. The Knights of Columbus Hall was built in 1968. A memorial shrine to Our Lady, Queen of Peace
, was built under the supervision of William A. Landewee in 1973.
The KC Hall also hosts a number of other events including wedding reception
s, dance
s, Bingo and various breakfasts and dinners throughout the year. The Knights of Columbus also sponsor the annual Leopold Family Sports Fest.
• Clippard is a historical unincorporated area located somewhere northeast of Laflin, possibly near a county road crossing of Granny Creek. Some sources, however, place Clippard Post Office a few miles south of Laflin.
• Drum is an unincorporated area located just south of the Route T and Route F intersection east of Glennon. It was founded in 1893 by John W. Laird and is named for State Senator Robert Drum of Marble Hill. Students who live in and around Drum attend either Leopold R-3 School District or Delta R-5 School District, depending upon which side of the district line the student resides.
• Glennon is the unincorporated village located at the intersection of Route T and Route AB. It was named for Archbishop John Glennon who gave permission to establish a parish here on November 29, 1905. Students who live in Glennon attend Leopold R-3 School District.
• Laflin is the unincorporated area located at the end of Route U northeast of Leopold. There used to be a station here on the Belmont Branch Railroad. The Laflin Post Office was in existence from January 4, 1871 to April 15, 1954. The area is named after Sylvester M. Laflin, a former director of the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad. Students who live in and around Laflin attend Leopold R-3 School District.
Only four to six months of public support were given when state aid for education became available to the early schools in Leopold. The people of the parish saw fit, by means of self-assessment, to pay the salary of the teacher for an additional three to four months each year. The main teachers of the Leopold Grade School were Mr. John Holweg, Mr. John Luke, Mr. Joseph Goetz and Mr. B.L. Hotze. The teachers served in the order mentioned.
Old records indicate that, beginning in 1889, a young lady from the community was hired each year to teach the children of the lower grades. The salary for these early “little” teachers began at $8.00 per month and rose as high as $15.00 per month. These young ladies who served as teachers include the following: Miss Mary Nenninger (1889–90), Miss Mary Wubker (1890–91), Miss Mina Engelen (1891–95), Miss Adelheid Vandeven (September and October 1895), Miss Mina Engelen (1895–96), Miss Hannah Tenholder (1896–1903), Miss Anna Steinnerd (1903–06), Miss Mary Clippard (1906–10), Miss Mary Steinnerd (1910–11), Miss B. Hinkebein (1910), Miss Minnie Schmidt (1911–16), Miss Louise Anger (1916–19), Miss Nora Wilkins (1919–22), and Mrs. Stevens who began teaching in 1922.
Later teachers were Miss Mary Jansen, Miss Cecilia Elfrink http://www.family.elfrink.us/index.php?title=Bernard_Gerard_Elfrink, Miss Cecilia Martin, Mr. Jacob Jansen, Mr. Joseph Martin, Mr. John Seesing, Miss Albertine Martin, Miss Rita Kenkel, Miss Mary L. Steinnerd, Miss Rosella Tenholder, Miss Rita Kern, Mr. Thomas Elfrink and Mr. Anthony Elfrink. All of these teachers worked hard to form the foundation of the rich tradition of education in the Leopold R-III School District.
Mr. Bernard L. Hotze served as principal of Leopold Grade Schools and supervisor of most of these teachers since 1903. He retired in 1953 after 50 years of public school service. He will be remembered as a great contributor to Leopold’s blossoming education.
. Activities at the school consist of Beta Club, Business Club, Science Fair Club, Student Activities Council, and the LHS Concert Choir
. Athletics include boys' basketball
, girls' volleyball
, boys' baseball
, girls' softball
, and cheerleading
.
Excellence in Athletics
The school has a reputation for its stellar volleyball program, with the high school teams posting 20 wins in a season on average. The Leopold Lady Wildcats varsity volleyball team has won three MSHSAA Class 1 state volleyball championships in 1993–94, 1997–98, and 2002–03. The Lady Wildcats won third place during the 2007–08 season, defeating Osceola
for the title. Volleyball tends to bring the whole community out especially during competitive matches.
Academic Distinctions and Honors
In addition to its volleyball program, Leopold has received several scholastic and academic honors. During the academic school years of 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07 and 2007–08, the Leopold R-III School District was awarded the Distinction in Performance Award by the Missouri Department of Education for outstanding school performance. During three of those seven years, the school district received a perfect 100 points on their ratings. Leopold has been ranked among one of the Top 10 Small School Districts in Missouri.
The Southeast Missourian newspaper, which circulates throughout much of the region, has named Leopold the best public school in the area for three years in a row from 2005–08.
On May 6, 2008, Leopold R-III High School was awarded the Gold Star Award at a ceremony held in Jefferson City
. Leopold was one of 15 schools in the state to receive this award based on the students performing in the top 10 percentile of all schools on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests and the school adequately meeting the yearly progress requirements.
from native limestone
found around and near the town. Parish
ioners of St. John’s did most of the work on the church themselves. Since then, the church has undergone many interior changes.
In the fall of 2003, Bishop John Leibrecht announced that St. Anthony’s Parish, located on Highway AB in Glennon, would be a mission parish of St. John’s Catholic Church. St. Anthony’s was formerly a mission of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Advance
. This seemed like a good idea because many of the residents of Leopold had, and to this day still have, relatives in Glennon. In addition, students who live in and around Glennon attend Leopold R-III School District.
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church is the third oldest mission in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
. Located in the tiny village of Glennon, St. Anthony’s was founded with a wooden framed church dedicated on February 3, 1906. That first church was destroyed by a tornado
in 1917. It was replaced by another wooden framed church which burned in 1969. The present church building was dedicated in August 1970. Father William Hennecke is the current priest at St. Anthony’s. He also presides over the St. John’s Parish in Leopold. Mass
is held at St. Anthony’s on Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Directly behind the church is a hall in which social events such as wedding dances and church gatherings are held. Also, a small cemetery is located just up the road from the church.
St. John's and St. Anthony's are the only two Roman Catholic Church congregations in Bollinger County. The churches can be contacted at (573) 238-2450.
The Leopold Shrine
In May 1944, the Shrine
of Our Lady Queen of Peace
was dedicated to the members of the parish who were serving in the armed forces
. Children of the community were asked to find the stones used to construct the shrine. After the shrine was built, evening Rosaries
were said for those serving in the armed forces. The prayers for the safe return of the service men and women have worked, for not one member of the armed forces who lives in the Leopold parish has failed to return home alive.
Bollinger County, Missouri
Bollinger County is a county located in Southeast Missouri in the United States. As of the 2010 U.S. Census, the county's population was 12,363; despite a 2009 estimate that showed the population to be 11,841. The county seat is Marble Hill, which is the only city in Bollinger County...
in Southeast Missouri
Missouri
Missouri is a US state located in the Midwestern United States, bordered by Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Nebraska. With a 2010 population of 5,988,927, Missouri is the 18th most populous state in the nation and the fifth most populous in the Midwest. It...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is located four miles east on Highway N about seven miles southeast of Marble Hill
Marble Hill, Missouri
Marble Hill is a fourth-class city in central Bollinger County in Southeast Missouri in the United States. Located at the intersection of State Highway 34 and State Highway 51, it is the largest city in Bollinger and serves as the county seat . The population was 1,502 at the 2000 census...
. The community consists of roughly 65 residents and has one of the smallest public high schools in the state of Missouri. Heavily Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
and of Dutch-German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
descent, the community is one of the most affluent in Southeast Missouri.
Leopold is part of the Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
–Jackson
Jackson, Missouri
Jackson is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, United States. The population was 13,758 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Cape Girardeau County. Jackson is named for U.S. President Andrew Jackson. It is a principal city of the Cape Girardeau–Jackson, MO-IL Metropolitan...
, MO-IL
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The town is well known for its annual Leopold Picnic and its public school which excels in both academics and athletics.
History of Leopold
In 1856, Reverend John van Luytelaar established Vinemount, Missouri. Rev. John and 12 other families went looking for farm land. Among the families who made the trip included Clement Beel, John Debrock, Herman Elfrink, Jacob Holweg, Arnold Jansen, F. Meyer, A. Rickhoff, John Scharenborg, J. G. Sonderen, J.W. Tuling, and Wm. Wardracker. Wm. Wardracker was unable to make the pioneer life and left back for CincinnatiCincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
after two years of living here.
These families traveled down the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and up the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
by boat to Cape Girardeau
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
and then found the community of Vinemount. Other families followed them and the community was starting to unfold.
In 1894 the first post office was built to serve the town of Vinemount. In the process of building the post office, they realized there was already a post office in Missouri by the name of Vinemount. This was when a name change was in order. The people then decided on the name of "Leopolis" (City of Leo), in honor of the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. This name was rejected and the present name, Leopold, was then proposed and accepted.
The Post Office
The first postmaster at Leopold was John Hahn. He would pick up the mail at church from Mr. Gerhard Luebbers and distribute it to the townspeople. When Elmer Nenninger became the postmaster in 1953, the post office was moved to its present location at the corner of Highway N and Main Street.Leopold’s General Store
What was once known as Macke's Feed and General Store is now known as the Leopold Country Store. It has not been run by Gerard Macke for several years now. Edward Andrew Graham Jr. purchased the store from Mr. Macke in 2001. E.A. Graham Jr. then sold the store to Edgar Stoverink, the current owner of the store.Leopold’s Gas Station
Among the businesses in Leopold is an automobile transmission service shop operated by Fred Beussink. Mr. Beussink had been associated for a number of years with a transmission service company in St. LouisSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
until 1973 when he returned with his family to the Leopold area and built the modern three-bay service facility on a farm on Highway F, purchased from Herman Beussink. Years later, Fred Beussink moved his business into Leopold. This is now a transmission service and gas station entitled Beussink’s Transmission Service.
Leopold’s Cemetery
The Leopold’s St. Johns Cemetery Association was formed in 1952. This made it possible for church members to help take care of the graves of their relatives and loved ones.Leopold’s Knight of Columbus Hall and Shrine
On October 16, 1966 a group of Catholic men from the community met to organize a Council of the Knights of ColumbusKnights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is the world's largest Catholic fraternal service organization. Founded in the United States in 1882, it is named in honor of Christopher Columbus....
in Leopold. On September 26, 1967 the KCs purchased land from William Spooler. This is the property where the K of C Hall is now located. The Knights of Columbus Hall was built in 1968. A memorial shrine to Our Lady, Queen of Peace
Our Lady of Peace
Our Lady of Peace, Mother of Peace, Queen of Peace or Our Lady Queen of Peace is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. She is represented in art holding a dove and an olive branch, symbols of peace. Her official memorial feast is celebrated on January 24 each year in...
, was built under the supervision of William A. Landewee in 1973.
The KC Hall also hosts a number of other events including wedding reception
Wedding reception
A wedding reception is a party held after the completion of a marriage ceremony. It is held usually as hospitality for those who have attended the wedding, hence the name reception: the couple receives society, in the form of family and friends, for the first time as a married couple. Hosts...
s, dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
s, Bingo and various breakfasts and dinners throughout the year. The Knights of Columbus also sponsor the annual Leopold Family Sports Fest.
Historical Communities Near Leopold
Leopold is bounded in all directions by a number of smaller, unincorporated communities that still retain historical significance.• Clippard is a historical unincorporated area located somewhere northeast of Laflin, possibly near a county road crossing of Granny Creek. Some sources, however, place Clippard Post Office a few miles south of Laflin.
• Drum is an unincorporated area located just south of the Route T and Route F intersection east of Glennon. It was founded in 1893 by John W. Laird and is named for State Senator Robert Drum of Marble Hill. Students who live in and around Drum attend either Leopold R-3 School District or Delta R-5 School District, depending upon which side of the district line the student resides.
• Glennon is the unincorporated village located at the intersection of Route T and Route AB. It was named for Archbishop John Glennon who gave permission to establish a parish here on November 29, 1905. Students who live in Glennon attend Leopold R-3 School District.
• Laflin is the unincorporated area located at the end of Route U northeast of Leopold. There used to be a station here on the Belmont Branch Railroad. The Laflin Post Office was in existence from January 4, 1871 to April 15, 1954. The area is named after Sylvester M. Laflin, a former director of the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railroad. Students who live in and around Laflin attend Leopold R-3 School District.
History of the Leopold R-III School District
Realizing the need for education, shortly after the first settlers arrived they formed the Society of St. Willibrord to make arrangements for having a school and to help finance it. The first school sessions were reportedly held in homes. One of the first school buildings was made out of logs and was located on or near the present farm of Lawrence Macke.Only four to six months of public support were given when state aid for education became available to the early schools in Leopold. The people of the parish saw fit, by means of self-assessment, to pay the salary of the teacher for an additional three to four months each year. The main teachers of the Leopold Grade School were Mr. John Holweg, Mr. John Luke, Mr. Joseph Goetz and Mr. B.L. Hotze. The teachers served in the order mentioned.
Old records indicate that, beginning in 1889, a young lady from the community was hired each year to teach the children of the lower grades. The salary for these early “little” teachers began at $8.00 per month and rose as high as $15.00 per month. These young ladies who served as teachers include the following: Miss Mary Nenninger (1889–90), Miss Mary Wubker (1890–91), Miss Mina Engelen (1891–95), Miss Adelheid Vandeven (September and October 1895), Miss Mina Engelen (1895–96), Miss Hannah Tenholder (1896–1903), Miss Anna Steinnerd (1903–06), Miss Mary Clippard (1906–10), Miss Mary Steinnerd (1910–11), Miss B. Hinkebein (1910), Miss Minnie Schmidt (1911–16), Miss Louise Anger (1916–19), Miss Nora Wilkins (1919–22), and Mrs. Stevens who began teaching in 1922.
Later teachers were Miss Mary Jansen, Miss Cecilia Elfrink http://www.family.elfrink.us/index.php?title=Bernard_Gerard_Elfrink, Miss Cecilia Martin, Mr. Jacob Jansen, Mr. Joseph Martin, Mr. John Seesing, Miss Albertine Martin, Miss Rita Kenkel, Miss Mary L. Steinnerd, Miss Rosella Tenholder, Miss Rita Kern, Mr. Thomas Elfrink and Mr. Anthony Elfrink. All of these teachers worked hard to form the foundation of the rich tradition of education in the Leopold R-III School District.
Mr. Bernard L. Hotze served as principal of Leopold Grade Schools and supervisor of most of these teachers since 1903. He retired in 1953 after 50 years of public school service. He will be remembered as a great contributor to Leopold’s blossoming education.
The Modern Day Leopold R-III School District
A small, rural school, the school district consists of one elementary and one consolidated junior-senior high school. According to the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, there was a total of 217 students and 30 certified staff members enrolled in the Leopold R-III School District during the 2008-2009 school year. The school colors are blue and white and its mascot is the wildcatWildcat
Wildcat is a small felid native to Europe, the western part of Asia, and Africa.-Animals:Wildcat may also refer to members of the genus Lynx:...
. Activities at the school consist of Beta Club, Business Club, Science Fair Club, Student Activities Council, and the LHS Concert Choir
Choir
A choir, chorale or chorus is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform.A body of singers who perform together as a group is called a choir or chorus...
. Athletics include boys' basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
, girls' volleyball
Volleyball
Volleyball is a team sport in which two teams of six players are separated by a net. Each team tries to score points by grounding a ball on the other team's court under organized rules.The complete rules are extensive...
, boys' baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, girls' softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
, and cheerleading
Cheerleading
Cheerleading is a physical activity, sometimes a competitive sport, based on organized routines, usually ranging from one to three minutes, which contain the components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers, and stunting to direct spectators of events to cheer on sports teams at games or to participate...
.
Excellence in Athletics
The school has a reputation for its stellar volleyball program, with the high school teams posting 20 wins in a season on average. The Leopold Lady Wildcats varsity volleyball team has won three MSHSAA Class 1 state volleyball championships in 1993–94, 1997–98, and 2002–03. The Lady Wildcats won third place during the 2007–08 season, defeating Osceola
Osceola, Missouri
Osceola is a city in St. Clair County, Missouri, United States. The population was 835 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of St. Clair County.-History:...
for the title. Volleyball tends to bring the whole community out especially during competitive matches.
Academic Distinctions and Honors
In addition to its volleyball program, Leopold has received several scholastic and academic honors. During the academic school years of 2001–02, 2002–03, 2003–04, 2004–05, 2005–06, 2006–07 and 2007–08, the Leopold R-III School District was awarded the Distinction in Performance Award by the Missouri Department of Education for outstanding school performance. During three of those seven years, the school district received a perfect 100 points on their ratings. Leopold has been ranked among one of the Top 10 Small School Districts in Missouri.
The Southeast Missourian newspaper, which circulates throughout much of the region, has named Leopold the best public school in the area for three years in a row from 2005–08.
On May 6, 2008, Leopold R-III High School was awarded the Gold Star Award at a ceremony held in Jefferson City
Jefferson City, Missouri
Jefferson City is the capital of the U.S. state of Missouri and the county seat of Cole County. Located in Callaway and Cole counties, it is the principal city of the Jefferson City metropolitan area, which encompasses the entirety of both counties. As of the 2010 census, the population was 43,079...
. Leopold was one of 15 schools in the state to receive this award based on the students performing in the top 10 percentile of all schools on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests and the school adequately meeting the yearly progress requirements.
Religion
St. John’s Catholic Church, located on Main Street in Leopold, was built in 1899. Work began in the spring and the church was built in pure Gothic styleGothic architecture
Gothic architecture is a style of architecture that flourished during the high and late medieval period. It evolved from Romanesque architecture and was succeeded by Renaissance architecture....
from native limestone
Limestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
found around and near the town. Parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
ioners of St. John’s did most of the work on the church themselves. Since then, the church has undergone many interior changes.
In the fall of 2003, Bishop John Leibrecht announced that St. Anthony’s Parish, located on Highway AB in Glennon, would be a mission parish of St. John’s Catholic Church. St. Anthony’s was formerly a mission of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Advance
Advance, Missouri
Advance is a small, fourth-class city located at the intersection of State Highway 25 and State Highway 91/Route C in northern Stoddard County, Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the city's population was 1,244; a July 2007 estimate, however, showed the population to be 1,221...
. This seemed like a good idea because many of the residents of Leopold had, and to this day still have, relatives in Glennon. In addition, students who live in and around Glennon attend Leopold R-III School District.
St. Anthony’s Catholic Church is the third oldest mission in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau is a Roman Catholic diocese in Missouri. It was founded on August 24, 1956. The current bishop is the Most Reverend James Vann Johnston, Jr., appointed January 24, 2008, and installed March 31, 2008....
. Located in the tiny village of Glennon, St. Anthony’s was founded with a wooden framed church dedicated on February 3, 1906. That first church was destroyed by a tornado
Tornado
A tornado is a violent, dangerous, rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as a twister or a cyclone, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology in a wider...
in 1917. It was replaced by another wooden framed church which burned in 1969. The present church building was dedicated in August 1970. Father William Hennecke is the current priest at St. Anthony’s. He also presides over the St. John’s Parish in Leopold. Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
is held at St. Anthony’s on Saturday evenings at 6:00 p.m. Directly behind the church is a hall in which social events such as wedding dances and church gatherings are held. Also, a small cemetery is located just up the road from the church.
St. John's and St. Anthony's are the only two Roman Catholic Church congregations in Bollinger County. The churches can be contacted at (573) 238-2450.
The Leopold Shrine
In May 1944, the Shrine
Shrine
A shrine is a holy or sacred place, which is dedicated to a specific deity, ancestor, hero, martyr, saint, daemon or similar figure of awe and respect, at which they are venerated or worshipped. Shrines often contain idols, relics, or other such objects associated with the figure being venerated....
of Our Lady Queen of Peace
Our Lady of Peace
Our Lady of Peace, Mother of Peace, Queen of Peace or Our Lady Queen of Peace is a title of the Blessed Virgin Mary in the Roman Catholic Church. She is represented in art holding a dove and an olive branch, symbols of peace. Her official memorial feast is celebrated on January 24 each year in...
was dedicated to the members of the parish who were serving in the armed forces
Armed forces
The armed forces of a country are its government-sponsored defense, fighting forces, and organizations. They exist to further the foreign and domestic policies of their governing body, and to defend that body and the nation it represents from external aggressors. In some countries paramilitary...
. Children of the community were asked to find the stones used to construct the shrine. After the shrine was built, evening Rosaries
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
were said for those serving in the armed forces. The prayers for the safe return of the service men and women have worked, for not one member of the armed forces who lives in the Leopold parish has failed to return home alive.