Saint Boniface Church, New Vienna
Encyclopedia
Saint Boniface Church is the Catholic
parish church for the city of New Vienna, Iowa
and the surrounding area. It is a Gothic
-style church, with stained glass windows, a handcarved main altar, and a striking 200 feet (61 m) spire The parish, part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, is partnered with Ss. Peter and Paul Parish
, Petersburg, Iowa
- the two parishes share a pastor.
families come to the area from Ohio
in search of farmland. On January 6, 1846, Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque celebrated Mass at the home of Hermann Wiechmann, the first Mass celebrated in the New Vienna area. For the next two years, Mass was celebrated at the Wiechmann home.
In 1848, the first permanent structure was built. This wood building measured 24 feet (7.3 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m) and had walls that were 10 feet (3 m) high.
By 1853, the population had increased to the point that a new structure was needed. Construction of this new church was completed in 1855. The church was 64 by 100 feet (30.5 m) with 22 feet (6.7 m)-high walls. A local resident, William Steffen, Sr., was sent with two teams of horses to get three bells for the church. He arrived back in New Vienna just before Easter
; the bells were raised in time to chime for the first time on Easter Sunday. This second structure was used until 1887.
In 1887, the third and present building was completed. This building is 172 feet (52.4 m) long by 62 feet (18.9 m) wide. The walls are 35 feet (10.7 m) high. The stained glass windows are 14 feet (4.3 m) wide by 30 feet (9.1 m) high. The steeple is 200 feet (61 m) high.
The church has five altars made of carved wood which are still present in the church today. The old high altar was built by E. Hackner of La Crosse, Wisconsin
. This altar cost $5,000.
The organ was built in 1891 by the Schuelke Organ Company
. The organ at St. Boniface is one of the few intact Schuelke organs that still exist today. Aside from regular maintenance, the organ has remained basically unaltered over the years. One of the few alterations made to the organ was the addition of an electric blower in the 20th century.
In 2010 workers began constructing a new entryway on the north side of the church when a sinkhole that was 12 feet wide and 8 feet deep was discovered in the basement. It is not know when that sinkhole formed, but if it had taken out a nearby pillar it could have caused the church building to collapse.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
parish church for the city of New Vienna, Iowa
New Vienna, Iowa
New Vienna is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 400 at the 2000 census. New Vienna is home to the Saint Boniface Catholic Church...
and the surrounding area. It is a Gothic
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
-style church, with stained glass windows, a handcarved main altar, and a striking 200 feet (61 m) spire The parish, part of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, is partnered with Ss. Peter and Paul Parish
Saints Peter and Paul Church (Petersburg, Iowa)
Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The church is located in Petersburg, Iowa, United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
, Petersburg, Iowa
Petersburg, Delaware County, Iowa
Petersburg is an unincorporated community in Delaware County, Iowa. It lies at an elevation of 1112 feet ....
- the two parishes share a pastor.
History
The history of the parish can be traced back to the 1840s when a number of German AmericanGerman American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
families come to the area from Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
in search of farmland. On January 6, 1846, Bishop Mathias Loras of Dubuque celebrated Mass at the home of Hermann Wiechmann, the first Mass celebrated in the New Vienna area. For the next two years, Mass was celebrated at the Wiechmann home.
In 1848, the first permanent structure was built. This wood building measured 24 feet (7.3 m) by 30 feet (9.1 m) and had walls that were 10 feet (3 m) high.
By 1853, the population had increased to the point that a new structure was needed. Construction of this new church was completed in 1855. The church was 64 by 100 feet (30.5 m) with 22 feet (6.7 m)-high walls. A local resident, William Steffen, Sr., was sent with two teams of horses to get three bells for the church. He arrived back in New Vienna just before Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
; the bells were raised in time to chime for the first time on Easter Sunday. This second structure was used until 1887.
In 1887, the third and present building was completed. This building is 172 feet (52.4 m) long by 62 feet (18.9 m) wide. The walls are 35 feet (10.7 m) high. The stained glass windows are 14 feet (4.3 m) wide by 30 feet (9.1 m) high. The steeple is 200 feet (61 m) high.
The church has five altars made of carved wood which are still present in the church today. The old high altar was built by E. Hackner of La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse, Wisconsin
La Crosse is a city in and the county seat of La Crosse County, Wisconsin, United States. The city lies alongside the Mississippi River.The 2011 Census Bureau estimates the city had a population of 52,485...
. This altar cost $5,000.
The organ was built in 1891 by the Schuelke Organ Company
Schuelke Organ Company
The Schuelke Organ Company was a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based pipe organ builder. Schuelke Organs operated in the later 19th and early 20th centuries....
. The organ at St. Boniface is one of the few intact Schuelke organs that still exist today. Aside from regular maintenance, the organ has remained basically unaltered over the years. One of the few alterations made to the organ was the addition of an electric blower in the 20th century.