St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Church

St. Catherine of Siena Roman Catholic Rectory

The St. Catherine of Siena Parish complex consists of four buildings: the parish school (1913), convent (1926), rectory (1926), and the church itself (1929).[2] All buildings are basically Romanesque in style, with some Byzantine elements.[2]

The church is the most visually catching structure. It is built in the form of a Latin cross, of mixed red and brown tapestry brick. The main façade has a gable form with a Romanesque arcaded portico containing the entrance and three tall windows above.[2] A wheel window is placed in the pediment. Single-story wings with entrance doors flank the front, and a tower is located on the right side of the building.[2]

This collection of buildings is significant for its architectural quality.[2] The first building of the parish, the school, was completed in 1913 by Donaldson and Meier at a cost of $52,000. The school building included a chapel and parish hall. The convent and rectory were both completed in 1926, and the church, costing $130,000, was completed in 1929.[2]

Dwindling population in the latter part of the 20th century led to a merger of St. Catherine with the nearby St. Edward's Roman Catholic Church in 1970; the buildings of St. Edward's were demolished.[2] In 1989, the St. Catherine parish was closed. A new parish, christened St. Augustine and St. Monica, was formed from the older St. Catherine/St. Edward's and the nearby St. Bernard's,[3] and currently uses the buildings in the complex.

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• St. Augustine and St. Monica Roman Catholic Church