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| Second Ss. Peter and Paul Church, 1932 | Altar of second church, 1932 | Ss. Peter and Paul Church, 2002 |
Ss. Peter and Paul, Beaver
Ss. Peter and Paul parish was founded in 1830. French missionaries visited the area and celebrated Mass in what is now Beaver in the mid eighteenth century. However, the beginning of the parish can more properly said to have begun with the visit of a priest from St. Patrick, Sugar Creek to celebrate Mass in 1830. For the next few years, the town was regularly visited from either St. Patrick or St. Paul, Pittsburgh (later St. Paul Cathedral). In 1834 land was donated for a church and construction began that year. The finished church was dedicated on June 29, 1837. For the next ten years, the parish was regularly visited from either St. Paul Cathedral or St. Patrick, Pittsburgh.
In 1847, the first resident pastor, Father James Reid, was assigned to the parish. He remained there until his death in 1868. After he died, he was not replaced and Ss. Peter and Paul became a mission of St. Cecilia, Rochester. In 1898 a fire destroyed the church. Land was purchased for a new church and on October 28, 1900, the cornerstone of the church was laid. In that same year, a new resident pastor was assigned to the parish. On December 15, 1901, the new church was dedicated.
On February 22, 1953, ground was broken for a new combination school and church. The church portion was considered a temporary facility that would eventually be replaced by a more permanent structure. The new church and school building was dedicated on April 4, 1954. The old church was converted to a parish hall.
The temporary church served the congregation for almost 20 years. Construction began on the new church in 1971 and the completed building was dedicated on May 29, 1972. This church continues to serve the parish today.
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| Second Ss. Peter and Paul Church, 1932 | Altar of second church, 1932 | Ss. Peter and Paul Church, 2002 |
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