Church of St. John the Baptist (Virginia, Minnesota)

The Church of St. John the Baptist was a historic church building in Virginia, Minnesota, United States. It was built in 1924 by a Polish American congregation of Roman Catholics.[2] In 1980 the church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places under the name Church of St. John the Baptist (Catholic) for its local significance in the themes of religion and social history.[3] It was nominated for serving as the center of religious and social life for Virginia's Polish Americans.[2]

Church of St. John the Baptist (Catholic)
The Church of St. John the Baptist from the southwest
Location309 S. 3rd Avenue,
Virginia, Minnesota
Coordinates47°31′15″N 92°32′9.5″W
AreaLess than one acre
Built1924
Architectural styleGothic Revival
NRHP reference No.80004362[1]
Added to NRHPAugust 27, 1980

The parish moved to a new building on the same block, the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, in the 1970s. The Church of St. John, little used for years, was demolished in December 2018 to make room for a playground and expanded parking lot for the adjacent parochial school.[4] [5]

Description

The red brick structure contains Gothic Revival elements, with six arched windows on each of the sides and arched windows flanking the main entrance. The steeple above the main entrance has Jacobean styling.[2]

History

The church was built in 1924 and became the center of religious and social life for the Polish immigrants in the city of Virginia. It was consecrated by the first Polish bishop in the United States, Paul Peter Rhode. The church was also used by nonreligious Polish organizations, including the Polish National Alliance.[2]

See also

References
  1. "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. Skrief, Charles (1979-09-10). National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form: Old Polish Church. National Park Service. Retrieved 2019-09-29. With two accompanying photos from 1979
  3. "Church of St. Joseph (Catholic)". Minnesota National Register Properties Database. Minnesota Historical Society. 2009. Retrieved 2019-08-11.
  4. Riebe, Angie (2019-02-04). "Old church demolition saddens, improves Catholic community". Star Tribune. Minneapolis. Retrieved 2019-10-25.
  5. https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/02/04/old-church-demolition-saddens-improves-catholic-community
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