Holy Cross Church in Chicago, Illinois - Watercolor Art
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In 1969, Mishicot School District teachers Jack Spevacek and Paul Frelich enrolled in an Audio-Visual Education course at Holy Family College in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and completed the slideshow “Mishicot 1847–1969.” The pair interviewed Mishicot residents, located historical images, and shot contemporary color photos of Mishicot while compiling the project. Jack Spevacek narrated the slideshow and organized background music tracks from easy listening albums found at a local radio station. A camera was borrowed from Mishicot School District teacher David Kelley. Assistance was provided by Ted Haese, another Mishicot teacher.
Outside of the college course, the completed slideshow was presented to the public several times in its original form. It was shown during a Mishicot Lions Club dinner at Fox Hills Resort in May 1969, at a Knights of Columbus Council No. 4807 meeting at Holy Cross Catholic School on February 25, 1970, and possibly at a Mishicot Pine Grove 4-H meeting on November 16, 1969. It was shown again in 2004 at a Friends of the Museum night on January 19, 2004 at the Mishicot VFW Hall.
In 2004, Jack Spevacek donated the slideshow to the Mishicot Historical Museum. The collection includes:
The 35mm slides include images from both 1969 and earlier. Some slides contain handwritten annotations. Historical black and white images were transferred to slides by photographing the original prints. The narration guide credits several class members as producers: P. Barnett, Paul Frelich, Ted Haese, Jack Spevacek, R. Halverson, and J. Steinbruecher.
The narration is backed by a bed of easy listening music likely sourced primarily from three albums:
Below is a full track list:
David Rose and his Orchestra
The Hollyridge Strings
A number of VHS and DVD copies of the slideshow were distributed and presented by Mishicot Historical Museum volunteers over the years. For a time, visitors to the museum could watch a DVD representation of the film.
In 2024, as part of an effort to bring the museum’s collection online, the slideshow was restored and recompiled digitally in its original form for the first time. Jack Spevacek and Paul Frelich were interviewed about the project. Michael Steeber scanned the slides on an archival-quality scanner and individually restored them to their original appearance in Photoshop. Dust and scratches were removed, and color was revived. The original audio tape was transferred to a digital format by Jim Scheuer.
Production note: Slides 92, 93, and 94 (as labeled in the narration guide) are missing from the end of the original slideshow. In their place, starting at 44:50 in the video, slide 91 was extended, and slides 1 and 2 were reused. No other changes to the content of the slideshow have been made.
A transcript of the entire presentation follows:
Mishicot: 1847 to 1969.
Mishicot is named after the Indian Chief Mishicott, meaning hairy legs. The Indians which inhabited the area around the village were members of the Menominee, Potawatomi, and Winnebago tribes. They were a peace-loving group and fished and hunted for their food. They inhabited the areas along the East and West Twin Rivers and used the open areas for planting grounds during the summer months. The area back of the present elementary school was one of the planting grounds.
The village of Mishicot owes its origin to a saw mill being located on the East Twin River, which afforded excellent water power. This was established in 1855 by Alfred Smith and Ira Clark, two of the town’s earliest pioneers.
Here is a map of Mishicot taken from the county plat book of 1878.
A group of pioneers settled near the top of Saxonburg Hill. They came to this area from Saxon, Germany, and named the area around the eastern side of the present village Saxony. Saxony was later changed to Mishicot. The Mueller family was one of the earliest pioneer families to arrive here. The present Mueller farm still belongs to the descendants of that pioneer family.
Here are the names, nativity, business, and date of settlement of some of the early settlers from the county plat book of 1878.
It is also noted that the wages paid laborers in the pioneer days range from five cents an hour to forty cents an hour for a ten hour day, six days a week. Average weekly wages netted a worker from three to twenty-four dollars.
This grist in sawmill was erected by Philip Hoffman in the 1890s. Farmers brought their grain from miles around to have it ground into feed.
The present structure now serves as a feed mill and also houses the Twin Rivers Co-op.
The Mishicot Opera House was one of the largest of its kind in the county. It had a floor space of about forty-five hundred square feet and was used mainly as a dance floor. It had a large stage and home talent companies and traveling companies used it to stage productions. The hall was also used for roller skating and basketball.
Here is a capacity crowd scene of a game between Mishicot and Brussels in 1954 when Mishicot’s basketball team went undefeated in regular season play with an 18 and 0 record.
This is the opera hall at the present time. It is still used for dances and banquets.
The Mishicot Amusement Company owned and operated the Elite Theater, the most up-to-date moving picture playhouse in the state in the early 1900s. All pictures shown here were passed by the National Board of Censorship. Between showing of films, the Holst Band, a five-piece orchestra, provided entertainment. The theater was located between Scheuer’s Meat Market and Mueller’s Garage.
The first brass band in Mishicot was the Mishicot National Band, organized around the year 1913. Members of the original brass band were: first row left to right, Anton Shedivy, Ed Stechmesser, George Princl Sr., second row, Alvin Stechmesser, Kurt Stechmesser, John Flentje, and Herbert Stechmesser.
The Mishicot Telephone Company organized in 1909 with about 50 miles of line extending over a radius of 8 miles and had about 150 subscribers. The switchboard was located at the Central Hotel, now well known as Kielman’s Village Inn and the Vogue Beauty Shop.
The General Telephone Company is the present owner and has 951 subscribers at present time. The new telephone building, serving the Mishicot area, was erected and finished in 1968.
The congregation of the Evangelical Church had its origin as far back as 1860 when six charter member families, Bruhn, Bernhardt, Witte, Mueller, Lansing, and Klinder built a small wooden frame building about 2.5 miles east of the village near the present August Haen Jr. farmhouse. This group of families later joined the group from the town of Kossuth, which held its services in the Pfefferkorn Farm Home and built the white frame building called the Zion Evangelical United Brethren Church.
Most of the labor was donated and the building was constructed for $3,500 and still stands in its present form. In 1968, the congregation merged with the Methodist Church and is now known as the Zion United Methodist.
Transportation has changed through the years in Mishicot. In the 1890s and even before that time, the one horse carriage was the principal means of getting from one place to another. It was used for shopping in town, visiting friends, or for just running everyday errands.
The two horse carriage was also used as somewhat as the family car is used today. It was used whenever the whole family had places to go. The two horse carriage was used principally to get the family to church on Sundays or any other function the family was invited to attend.
In 1896, Henry Ford invented the first car, but it wasn’t until the year 1908 that the first car appeared in Mishicot. Here is a 1908 model which was one of the first six cars to appear on the streets in Mishicot. Notice that it didn’t have any windshield. The shifting lever was on the side of the car and the driver sat on the right hand side rather than the customary left hand side as evidenced in later models.
In 1913, the cars changed. A windshield was added and the steering mechanism was shifted to the left hand side.
In 1913, the first car dealership in Manitowoc County was started by Matt Princl. He handled the Ford line, the universal car as it was noted then. The cars were shipped in by horse and wagon or in the winter time by horse and sleigh from Two Rivers. They came in parts and had to be assembled by the dealer before they could be sold or driven. The average price of the new car in those days was $600 to $700.
In 1913, the first motor bike also appeared in Mishicot. George Princl Sr. was the proud possessor of this three-horsepower motor bike. $75 to $80 bought a new motorbike in 1913.
This is an early 1920 automobile.
Here we see a 1932 Plymouth with spare tire on the side.
Bringing us up to date, here is a 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, owned by Clarence Stangel, Mishicot High School history instructor.
This is Jackson Street, looking east. The first house on the right was built by old Nic Scheuer and has been in the Scheuer family for many years. The house in the background was owned by George Schmidt.
The Scheuer house is now owned by Glenn Klein and the Schmidt house is owned by Sanford Wolfmeyer.
The Rockway School was built in 1905 at a cost of $6,000. Although it served principally as a high school, it wasn’t until 1918 that the first class of a four-year high school graduated. It served as a high school for 57 years.
In 1958, with the opening of the new high school, it became an elementary school. Seven years later, it was closed down due to the building of a new grade school. But it didn’t stay vacant long. With the increase in enrollment, it was put back into operation two years later. This is when it got its present name, the Rockway School.
The present Mishicot High School, with room for 500 students, was completed on April 10, 1958, at a price of $605,000. 318 high school students attended the school’s first classes. This number has grown to 408 in 1969. Due to the increase in students and teachers, Otto Schultz, principal of the Mishicot Schools for 24 years, assumed the new position of superintendent of the Mishicot Schools during the 1968-69 school year. Jerry Kain filled the position of principal vacated by Mr. Schultz during that same school year. At the present time, there are 22 teachers on the high school teaching staff.
This bird’s eye view shows the Central Hotel, which was a very popular inn during the early history of Mishicot. It is here that riders of the stagecoach going between Green Bay and Two Rivers could stop over for the night. The Rockway School, then known as the Mishicot Grade School, and St. Peter’s Lutheran Church can be seen in the background. The windmill pumped water for the horses that were kept at the livery stables, as well as for the teams that brought customers to the village business places. The two-story home in the background was the home of the village doctor. Dr. Karnopp had an operating room in the home and performed minor surgery in the home. It was later taken over by Dr. Skwor and is presently inhabited by the Otto Schultz family.
The Central Hotel is presently inhabited by Kielman’s Village Inn, the Vogue Beauty Shop, and the Model Barber Shop.
Lutheran Church and Parsonage. The beginning of the congregation of St. Peter’s Lutheran Church was organized in the middle of the 19th century and was served by a “circuit rider” preacher. In 1861, a group consisting of John Bahls, Louis Barthels, A. Jens, Carl Wilsman and others, organized the first congregation and held services in the schoolhouse on Cemetery Hill, across from the present Twin River Co-operative. The first church was a wood frame building, which was replaced with a granite structure in 1927.
The red granite stone was brought to Francis Creek by rail, where members of the congregation brought teams and wagons to transport the stone to the present church site. The total cost of the building was $30,000. Reverend Edward Zell served the congregation from 1911 until his death in 1958, totaling 47 years of ministry.
The Mishicot Brewery was built in 1847 by a man named Kittemeir. It was operated by Mr. Linstedt from 1848 until the Scheuers bought it in the late 1890s from Kittemeir. Linstedt apparently was the brewmaster in the intervening years. They brewed 40 barrels at a time about three times a week. The beer was shipped by horse and wagon in about a 30-mile radius. Later, with the use of trucks, the beer sold as far away as Milwaukee.
This is one of the labels from a bottle of Mishicot beer.
The brewery was closed during prohibition, and in 1933 the Scheuers sold it to some Chicago brewers who began some extensive remodeling. They went bankrupt and Jess Lambert picked it up for back taxes. He later sold it to Western Condensing, and it is presently being run by Foremost Dairies.
This is Main Street, south side. The south side of the Main Street area was along the river’s edge. Board sidewalks helped to keep feet dry during the muddy spring weather. Early spring floods brought hardship to the stores and shops located along the river’s edge. The house on the corner was the old Holst house, which was destroyed by an explosion in 1960, killing one person.
Main Street, south side today, has a new clinic erected near the spot where the old Holst house blew up. The Badger Restaurant and Tavern still occupy the same corner on Main Street, and in 1939 bowling alleys were added to the original structure.
This is the old Krist Garage. It was used as a livery stable for many years. With the coming of the automobile, it was converted into a garage around 1915. Kumbalek’s Tavern is now located on that site.
Holy Cross Parochial School was erected in 1907 at a cost of $2,031. It was remodeled in 1913 from a one-room to a two-room school with living quarters upstairs for the sisters.
In 1952, the present school auditorium and sister’s convent was completed at a cost of $144,000.
Members of the 1911-1912 Mishicot championship basketball team left to right, front row: Elmer Levenhagen, Gus Cochnet, second row: unknown, Hans Scheuer, Art Holst, George Larson, Henry Greenwood, third row: Earl Scheuer, Ray Scheuer, and Earl Stechmesser.
This is a summer cottage as it looked in the early 1900s. It was located on Main Street on the south side of town.
This is the same cottage as it looks today.
The State Bank was founded March 9, 1910. Some of the early officers were I. Beyer President, A. Rhode, Vice President, H. Stehn, Cashier. A statement given out by the bank about the year 1915 showed capitalization: $15,000, undivided profits: $19,000, deposits: $121,000, and assets: $140,000.
Here is the Mishicot Savings Bank, now a branch of the Two Rivers Savings Bank as it appears today. The bank statement from 1968 showed total deposits of $1,690,000.
Holy Cross Parish began in 1854. In 1862, the first Holy Cross Church was built. It was then a satellite of St. Luke’s Parish of Two Rivers. It withdrew from there in 1898 with Reverend A. Bostran and Reverend P. St. Louis as the first pastors. There were about 70 families in the parish when it was first organized.
1961 saw Holy Cross Church enlarged from a seating capacity of 300 to 450. A new rectory was also constructed at that time. Total cost of this project was $184,000.
Here is the new rectory completed in 1961.
This is a view of East Water Street north side in the early 1900s. Notice the wooden sidewalks, the hitching posts, and the horse and buggy.
Here is East Water Street as it appears today.
The Holst Department Store was one of the thriving business places in the early days of Mishicot. Anything from shoes to food could be purchased in the general store. It was a favorite gathering place for the early pioneers of Mishicot. The business was started in 1889 and was one of the largest department stores in the county. Everything was carried in the line of general merchandise and furnishing goods with departments for each line.
This was the dry goods department. Groceries can be seen in the rear of the store.
This was the shoe department.
Here is where the mens’ and boys’ clothing department was located.
This was the underwear and mens’ furnishing department.
And here is the ladies’ furnishing department.
This is the old Holst store as it looks today. It is now known as Krause’s Shopping Center. George Krause, owner and proprietor, bought the store in 1963 from the Holst family. It has been remodeled and is now primarily a grocery store. A meat department was also added and an appliance department is another aspect of the shopping center that serves the customer.
This is a view of the grocery department.
Here is the meat department.
The checkout counters and the drug department.
This is Elizabeth Avenue looking south. The corner house is the present Otto Schultz residence, which at one time belonged to Dr. Karnopp and Dr. Skwor. The second home is presently under ownership of Bernard Brouchoud.
This is a view of Elizabeth Avenue at the present time.
An unusual feature of a small inland town having no transportation facilities was the Mishicot Electric Light & Power Company, erected and run by Ira Beyer in 1912. A large concrete dam spanned the East Twin River backing up water for miles and developing hundreds of horsepower which were utilized in the operation of the generator.
The generators produced sufficient current to light the village and the surplus current was put into storage batteries to be used during the daytime. Thus giving the village continual 24-hour service.
One of the worst floods the village of Mishicot experienced was in 1936. The spring thaw sent the East Twin River over its banks and flooded the whole south side of town so that many stores on the main street suffered severe water damage.
Huge chunks of ice and debris spilled onto Mishicot’s Main Street from the roaring East Twin River.
The principal flooded area of Mishicot covered some three blocks of lower Main Street to the bridge with the park completely under water.
In August 1939 George Princl Sr. built the Mishicot Dairy. He ran and managed it till 1948 when he sold it to a Sheboygan firm. During some of the busy years he had as many as 17 men working for him. The Mishicot Dairy is still in existence today and produces butter and cheese that is sold all over the country.
This is a view of the old Rite-Way store. It is now the home of the Ice Implement Company. Notice how the prices have changed from the late 1930s to the present 1969.
Corn flakes, large size, 17 cents. Peanut butter 21 cents a quart. Salt 2 pounds for a nickel. Corn, peas or tomatoes 3 twenty-ounce cans for 25 cents.
In July, 1947 Mishicot celebrated its 100 years of existence. This was one of the biggest events in the history of Mishicot attracting many people from miles around.
The two-day event held a variety of entertainment and festivities as evidenced by the program.
There were games, concessions and rides.
There were concerts, a circus and parades.
Huge crowds watched such attractions as the statewide horse-pulling contest.
Here is a picture of City Hall which is the regular meeting place for members of the Village Board.
The Mishicot Elementary School was built in 1965. The school contains 56,000 square feet and cost $650,000. The school was built to accommodate 800 children, grades Kindergarten through 8. It includes 26 classrooms, offices, educational material center, art and music rooms and the cafeteria. This school was one of the first in the area with the modern “snowflake” design.
November 1962 saw completion of a medical clinic on property originally owned by Augusta Holst, later purchased by Art Holst and finally purchased for construction of a clinic by a corporation formed in 1960. Stock was sold and the land was purchased in February 1961 by the corporation. Dr. John E. Nilles, M.D., moved into the clinic in 1962 and Dr. Ronald J. Lese, dentist, moved into the building in 1964.
The new fire station was built in 1967 and was financed from funds from the Volunteer Fire Department. There are four trucks in the department at the present time including a 1928 GMC, which is used for parades and to haul hoses for fires. Twenty-two volunteer firemen served the village in nearby townships.
This is a picture of the building which was once a funeral home and furniture store run by a Mr. Miller. In 1951 he sold it to August Specht, who also ran it as a funeral home and furniture store for 13 years. In 1964, Erwin Lambert bought the funeral home and ran it for three years until moving to a new building. George Princl Jr., better known as Junior, bought and remodeled it and it has been since a favorite gathering place for local teenagers. It’s now known as Junior’s Burger Shop.
This is the Lambert Funeral Home, Manitowoc County’s newest funeral home built in 1965.
The new variety store opened in 1968 was a house that Ned Demsien remodeled.
In 1960, Leo Kostechka, the present postmaster, built the new post office on Main Street. For eleven years previous to this, it was located in Blattler’s Red Owl building. Before that, the post office was located on the east side of Main Street between Ice Implement and the Vogue Beauty Shop. The first post office in Mishicot was established in 1854 with F. M. Falrish as postmaster.
The Mishicot Lumber Company was originally built as Standard Lumber Yards in 1947 on the present site. Jim Anderle, present owner, was the first manager with two employees. Now the lumber company is three times its original size and has six employees.
This is a view of a portion of the F. W. Baugniet Mink Ranch which was started in 1931 and has been on the present site since 1942. The Mink Ranch employs an average of 15 people and ships over 20,000 mink pelts each year to New York where they are sold at an auction. Dark and mutation mink are raised on the ranch.
Al’s Restaurant and Drive-In was built in 1960 by Florenz Baugniet as a prelude to Fox Hills Country Club. Seating capacity is 55.
The pride of Mishicot is beautiful Fox Hills Country Club. This recreational and supper club complex was the result of the imagination and foresight of Florenz W. Baugniet, who began formulating his ideas on this project in the late 1950s.
Fox Hills has 70 employees and can seat 1200 people. It is a scene of many social functions including proms, weddings and class reunions. Numerous organizations hold regular business dinner meetings here. Guests can enjoy dining and dancing on weekends. Fox Hills, one of the outstanding supper clubs in the state of Wisconsin.
A driving range and an 18-hole championship golf course provide ample opportunity for the avid golfer to enjoy his favorite sport at Fox Hills. The North 9 holes covers 69 acres with the South 9 seen here covering 79 acres. An additional 176 acres have been purchased for a third 9 holes scheduled to be completed in 1970 with a future airstrip planned for a part of the 176 acres.
The residents of Mishicot and vicinity are a friendly and congenial people. They are always interested in progress and are also fond of their social activities which include card and sewing clubs, bowling leagues, church societies, along with numerous school functions. Organizations play an important role also. Among them are the Lions Club, Jaycees, VFW, Sportsmen’s Club, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, 4-H Clubs and the Farm Bureau.
Mishicot, a thriving community with a fondly remembered past and a bright and prosperous future, is living to uphold our ideals of democracy and freedom.
Tags: 1847, 1969, history of mishicot, jack spevacek, paul frelich, slideshow, map, saxonburg, grist mill, twin rivers co-op, opera house, basketball, frank & roses, elite theater, mishicot national band, mishicot telephone company, zion church, rite way store, rockway school, jackson street, mishicot high school, central hotel, kielman’s village inn, st peter’s lutheran church, mishicot brewing company, main street, badger state house, kirst’s garage, holy cross school, holy cross church, state bank, holst cheap cash store, krauses shopping center, elizabeth street, flood, mishicot dairy products, centennial, museum, o.h. schultz elementary school, clinic, john nilles, junior’s, fire department, variety store, lambert funeral home, post office, mishicot lumber and supply, mink ranch, al’s restaurant, fox hills, video
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From the October 1990 Mishicot Area Growth and Improvement Committee Newsletter:
Fireman’s Department Celebrates Centennial
The Mishicot Fire Department was first incorporated in 1890, and celebrated its hundredth anniversary this summer with a picnic, plus a giant parade on July 29, 1990.
The parade included over 150 units, with more than a dozen fire departments from other towns taking part, along with a wide variety of floats, bands, horses, trucks, cars, heavy equipment, and the like.
MAGIC was represented in the parade by two units: Lyle Anderson’s big semitrailer with MAGIC logo, and a special Mishicot Museum float entered by the Thematic/Historical Committee. Both of these units also appeared later in the Mishicot Lions’ Junior Fair parade on August 19.
The museum’s float featured a miniature pioneer log cabin, and also wheat bundles along with a scythe, cradle, flail, and other antique harvesting tools from the Roy Schmidt collection. Designing and construction of the float was done by Carol and Jack Ronning (who built the cabin), Lila Dvorak, Grace Schleis, Ruth Zarling, and Marcella Straka.
The wagon for the float, and a 1936 McCormick-Deering 10-20 tractor to pull it, were supplied by Gale Kronforst. Travis and Dustin Kronforst appeared in costume as
a young farmer and a young In- dian of the early days, along with Lila Dvorak and Marcella Straka as the farmer and his wife.
A full-color videotape of the centennial parade was shown several times on the Mishicot community cable television channel.
This channel also regularly carries notices of meetings of MAGIC, the village and school boards, and other organizations.
Photo caption:
The MAGIC Thematic/Historical Committee presented this Mishicot Museum float in the Mishicot Fireman’s Centennial Parade July 29. Pictured are Marcella Straka, Lila Dvorak, and Travis and Dustin Kronforst depicting life in the early days.
Tags: 1990, firemens parade, holy cross church, float, museum
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A mass schedule pamphlet for Holy Cross Catholic Church at 423 S Main Street in Mishicot, Wisconsin. This item is estimated to have been published in the late 1990s.
Tags: holy cross church
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A clipping of a newspaper article featuring Rev. Oscar L. Benzinger of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mishicot, Wisconsin.
Article text:
PARISH SONS ATTEND MASS — Three sons of Holy Cross Catholic Church parish, Mishicot, attended the first Mass of another son, the Rev. Oscar L. Benzinger, Sunday at the church. Shown are, from the left, theRev. Earl Skwor, the Rev. Earl Brouchoud, the Rev. Anthony Betley, pastor of Holy Cross, the Rev. Michael Koch, and Father Benzinger. Father Benzinger was honored at a dinner and reception following his first Mass. ((Photo by staff photographer)
Congregation Honors Local Priest at His First Masss
MISHICOT – The Rev. Oscar L. Benzinger was honored at a dinner Sunday at Holy Cross Catholic Church hall, following his first Mass at his home parish. Father Benzinger was ordained into the priesthood Wednesday at Church of the Gesu, Milwaukee, by the Most. Rev. Ro?-nan R. Atkielski, DD.
Guests at the dinner included clergy who assisted at the mass, relatives, friends, former classmates and sisters from Bay Settlement Convent who were his instructors while in school.
Toastmaster
The Rev. Earl Brouchoud, pastor of St. Luke Catholic Church, Two Rivers, and a son of the parish, was toastmaster. Concelebrants introduced included the Rev. Anthony Betley, pastor of Holy Cross Parish; the Rev. Michael Koch, the Rev. Earl Skwor, also sons of the parish; the Rev. James Fitzgerald, S. J.; the Rev. Robert Hilbert, S.J.; the Rev. Alexis Luzi, O.F.M, and the Rev Anthony Stangel, S.D.S. Society of Jesus classmates of the newly ordained priest introduced included Frank Scharge and Donald Rauscher. Father Luzi, an instructor of Father Benzinger when he entered St. Lawrence Seminary.
Tags: newspaper, anthony betley, earl brouchoud, holy cross church, oscar benzinger
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Photos and postcard views of the interior and exterior of Holy Cross Catholic Church in Mishicot, Wisconsin.
One postcard addressed to Charles Kronforst is dated May 1914. Another photo is dated 1985.
From “Mishicot’s Meaningful Memories“:
In the very beginning Holy Cross was a Mission Station that was visited occasionally by priests who were serving St. Luke’s Congregation in Two Rivers. A small chapel was built in 1854 to serve as a place of worship for the people in this area.
Prior to this time, the community was served by Father Joseph Brunner and later Father Winner, both of whom were from the Society of Jesus, a missionary group of Jesuits of exceptional missionary zeal, whose journeys on foot took them to all towns near the Lake Michigan shores. On such occasions the homes of Oliver LeClair, located near the Mishicot Locker plant; Fortier’s, later owned by Florenz Baugniet, and Scheuer’s, near Steiner’s Corners, were opened to their fellow Catholics for Mass.
Holy Cross continued to be a mission of St. Luke’s until 1857 when Rev. A.B. Rinkes became the first resident pastor of the parish.
It was decided in 1860-61 to organize a parish at Mishicot and by 1862 a church had been built. It was a frame structure with a pioneer Gothic Style tower. The church was truly a tribute to the deep faith and the spirit of sacrifice of those early pioneers.
It was estimated that there were seventy families when the parish was formally organized.
A glimpse at the church records shows the first baptism to be that of Mary Boudewyn, who was born April 6, 1863 and who was baptized on Christmas day, 1863. Some of the other interesting facts reveal that the first marriage was that of Oliver LeClair. Mr. LeClair was born in 1822 and died April 11,1864. A zealous worker for the young parish, he had donated the land on which the parish buildings stand and the old cemetery plot where he is buried.
With the passing of time Holy Cross once again became a mission parish served by St. Luke’s. Between 1878 and 1880 the parish was served by Father Hellweger, Father George Veith and Father H. Reuter. The parish was without a pastor for two years until Rev. Sales Beck came in 1882. He was succeeded in 1885 by Rev. A.N. Buschle and Rev. W.F. VanRoosemalen who served the parish from 1886 to 1890. It was during this pastorate that the first set of stations donated by William Cochems were installed.
In 1894 the entire church was rebuilt.
For a number of years Holy Cross was once again a mission parish of St. Anne’s at Francis Creek. During the pastorate of Rev. Aloysius Bastian (1897-1899) the first parsonage was built. The Rev. J.C. Bourgmeyer succeeded him and in 1900 Father Phillip St. Louis was assigned to Mishicot. With the help of John Cochems, Father St. Louis was instrumental in building the first parochial school, and Catholic education for the children of Holy Cross, under the tutelage of the Sisters of St. Francis of Bay Settlement, became a reality.
Father Arthur Belle was named pastor in 1909. By this time the parish had increased to about eighty-nine families and in 1913 the school was enlarged to a two room school building with living quarters upstairs for the sisters. In 1915, the altars were redecorated and the oil paintings of the stations, which still decorate the church walls, were donated by parishioners.
In September, 1926, Rev. Michael Gonnering succeeded Father Belle. Major improvements during this pastorate included a new pipe organ, new vestments, remodeling the rectory and redecorating the church.
Father Alfred Pritzl was appointed pastor in 1932. He served this parish until 1938. Under his direction the present cemetery was incorporated to provide perpetual care and funds for its maintenance.
Father Joseph Van Bogart became pastor in 1938 and continued until his sudden death on January 9th, 1946.
Father Van Bogart was succeeded by Rev. George Beth. The present school, gym, and sister’s convent were built during his pastorate and were dedicated on May 10,1952. On November 12, 1958 Father Beth was transferred to St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Two Rivers, and was succeeded by Rev. Anthony Betley. In 1961 a new rectory was built and the church was enlarged and remodeled and in 1963 the parish celebrated its one hundredth anniversary.
On November 15,1971, the parish welcomed Rev. Earl Brouchoud, a priest-son of the parish, as their pastor. Father Brouchoud is the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. Richard Brouchoud. During his stay at Holy Cross, Father Brouchoud revitalized the Christian Education Program for the youth of the parish and instituted an Adult Education Program. With the strong support of a good friend and benefactor, Florenz Baugniet, the parish built an addition to the school. Another project conducted by Father Brouchoud, was that of remodeling the church to include redeco rating and carpeting. Father Brouchoud also started the deacon program at Holy Cross. Frank Kroll, a classmate and good friend ofFather Brouchoud’s, was the deacon. Father George Kiefer was also assisting with parish services. Father Brouchoud left Holy Cross for his new assignment in DePere in June of 1982.
Today, Father Richard L. Allen is the pastor at Holy Cross Parish in Mishicot. He took over this assignment in July of 1982.
Tags: 1914, 1985, charles kronforst, church, holy cross church
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An undated photo of the first Holy Cross School building, which was located behind Holy Cross Church at 423 S Main Street in Mishicot, Wisconsin. This school building was demolished in approximately 1952 after a new school building was opened behind it at 423 E Church Street.
Tags: holy cross church, holy cross school
Download high resolution copies of these items on archive.org.
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Download → Contacthttps://mishicotmuseum.com/2024/07/30/first-holy-cross-school-mishicot-wisconsin/
Liam O'Mara IV, PhD
Nicko Prints
Mishicot Historical Museum
