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In the beginning...
Recognizing
the need for the development of the vast prairie in
southwestern Minnesota, Bishop John Ireland
contracted with the railroads to act as their land
agent in the areas near railway expansion. Bishop
Ireland wanted only the best land reserved for
future Catholic settlers. He sent his inspector,
Major Ben Thompson, to procure the most fertile land
for the Bishop's projects. In 1876 Bishop Ireland
secured land in Swift County, MN. After that he set
his sights on the most desirable land available
outside of the St. Paul area: Adrian, MN.
In 1877 Adrian
was a small community with only three houses, two
stores, one hotel, and a wayside station. The only
Catholic in the town at that time was M. Sullivan.
Local masses were held in the farm home of Nick
Neyens in Grand Prairie Township, Section 24 with a
missionary priest officiating. That changed quickly
when Bishop John Ireland sent Father C. J. Knauf to
establish "St. Adrian Parish," named in honor of St.
Adrian the warrior. Upon his arrival in Adrian on
September 20, 1877, Fr. Knauf busied himself
building a congregation. By December of 1878 there
were sixty families in the growing local Catholic
community.
1878 saw the
construction of a wood framed church building,
costing $700.00, compliments of Bishop John
Ireland. This served as St. Adrian's place of
worship until 1887. By 1887 $15,000 had been raised
for the building of a new church. The brick
veneered structure, complete with a tower of great
height and the capacity to seat 500 worshipers, was
dedicated by Bishop John Ireland in 1889. The old
church building was sold to W. E. Timmons, who
converted it into a cow barn.
By 1882, 250
Catholics, most of German or Irish descent, were
members of St. Adrian parish. With all those
families came the need for a school. In 1892 Fr.
Knauf called for the building of St. Adrian's first
parochial school. The rectory was completed in
November 1899.
On December 24,
1899, a fire started in the basement of the church.
The fire spread quickly and due to the intense heat
and the brick veneer on the outside of the church,
the structure was a total loss, although a few items
from the church were saved.
The baptismal
font was carried safely away from the burning
building. The font is stored in the church today.
The two angels that decorated the altar now stand as
sentinels on either side of the reproduction of Di
Vinci's "Last Supper" on the main altar. The
pulpit, still edged in gold leaf, was also rescued
from the burning church.
Over $30,000
was raised to build a new church. The corner stone
of the church was placed and dedicated on July 4,
1900, by Bishop John Cotter. A metal box containing
local and church papers, coins, and other items of
historic value, was placed within the cornerstone.
In 1901 the congregation began worshipping inside
the twin towered, beautiful new church.
St. Adrian High
School was started in 1905, with the first class
graduating in 1908. A new school building was begun
in August of 1910, and completed in 1912, and
dedicated by Bishop Hefferon. The school educated
hundreds of children until it closed in July of
1973. Most area students now attend the Adrian
Public School, District 511.
From hopeful
beginnings a congregation was born. Now, 125 years
later, over 418 families belong to St. Adrian
parish. As we look toward the future, we reflect on
our history; the dedication and courage of our
ancestors, who crossed the vast Atlantic Ocean to
begin anew on the untamed prairie. We respect their
sacrifices and their faith in God. We are here
because they dared to dream and trust in God. Their
legacy is our blessing. Our legacy will be in the
blessings and faith of our own children. And, above
all, our faith and our hope is in God.
by Meredith
Stanton Vaselaar |
