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| Original St. Athanasius Church/school building. the annex added in 1928 can be seen to the left of the tower, 1945. | St. Athanasius Church, 2002 | Sanctuary of original church, 1945. |
St. Athanasius, West View
St. Athanasius was established on July 8, 1907. The parish was founded as a result of the growth of population in the area. During the winter of 1906 to 1907, local Catholics met to plan for their own parish. They petitioned the bishop for a parish and the bishop approved the petition. The first Mass in the new parish was celebrated on July 14, 1907, in a barn. Soon afterwards work began on a building that would contain the church, two classrooms, a convent and rectory. In addition, the basement would hold a dining room, kitchen and bowling alleys.
The cornerstone of the building was laid on June 28, 1908, and the completed building was dedicated on June 6, 1909. The church occupied the second floor of the building. As the parish grew, the parish plant grew with it. A rectory was built in 1924 and in 1928 an annex was added to the building to hold additional classrooms. Soon the congregation outgrew the church. On July 22, 1941, ground was broken for a new church and on May 2, 1943, it was dedicated. The old church was abandoned, although the rest of the building remained in use until 1980, when the building was torn down.
In the late 1950's the stained glass windows were installed in the church. In the 1960's the sanctuary was remodeled and a new organ was installed in 1974. The church continues to serve the congregation today.
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| Original St. Athanasius Church/school building. the annex added in 1928 can be seen to the left of the tower, 1945. | St. Athanasius Church, 2002 | Sanctuary of original church, 1945. |
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