JANESVILLE
Abraham Lincoln had just been reelected in December 1864. The Civil War would be over in four months. And the Catholics of 糖心Vlog传媒 completed St. Patrick鈥檚 Church.
Nearly 157 years later, the church鈥檚 steeple at 315 Cherry St. will be removed.
A structural engineer recently inspected the steeple and said it should be removed for safety鈥檚 sake, according to the Rev. Drew Olson, the parish鈥檚 pastor.
鈥淭he wood inside was basically disintegrating because it鈥檚 so old,鈥 Olson said.
Squirrels, bats and pigeons have damaged the wood, too. The 132-foot-tall spire tilts to the southeast. Some believe high winds about 10 years ago started the tilt.
The Rev. Drew Olson talks about the work that is underway at St. Patrick Catholic Church to remove the spire after the deterioration of materials has left it structurally unsound. The steeple is scheduled to be lifted off on Nov. 2, weather permitting.
鈥淲hat they found is that anchoring points on this northwest corner had been pulled out,鈥 Olson said. 鈥(So) the tower is twisting, and it鈥檚 crushing the brick on the southeast side.鈥
Not yet known is whether a renovated spire鈥攐r a new one鈥攚ill be returned to the top of St. Patrick鈥檚 Catholic Church.
Church leaders would like to restore the steeple in addition to the rest of the building. Problems include the foundation and tuck-pointing of its yellow bricks, Olson said.
But that will take money and community support, Olson said, and not only from the St. Patrick鈥檚 community.
St. Pat鈥檚 started as an Irish parish, and any of the city鈥檚 Irish families that have been here since before 1900 likely attended St. Pat鈥檚, so those families, too, might want to contribute, Olson suggested.
鈥淲e need the community to help us decide whether they want this (steeple) back on,鈥 Olson said.
Work is already underway at St. Patrick Catholic Church for the remove the 157-year-old spire after deterioration of materials left it structurally unsound.
Olson said he doesn鈥檛 have enough information yet to give a firm estimate of how much money might be needed. That鈥檚 the kind of information that would come in a formal appeal for donations.
The parish school closed in 2018, and some figured the church was in decline, Olson said. But today the congregation boasts 700 families and weekend attendance at services of about 500.
The congregation is around 40% Hispanic. Masses in Spanish and Latin are popular.
糖心Vlog传媒 has older Christian congregations, Olson said, but as far as he can tell鈥攚ith help from the Rock County Historical Society鈥擲t. Patrick鈥檚 is the city鈥檚 oldest church building that is still used as a church.
The congregation was established in 1847. The first church was made of logs cut on the site of the current church, according to a 1950 Gazette article.
Wooden beams are exposed on the steeple of St. Patrick Church in 糖心Vlog传媒, where work is to remove the spire.
A brick building replaced the log structure and then the current church was built on the same site. Work began on the yellow-brick church in 1863, as the Civil War raged.
The city鈥檚 second Catholic parish, Nativity of St. Mary, was established in 1876. The current St. Mary鈥檚 church building was dedicated in 1902.
Workers are removing wood and tin flashing this week so supports can be attached to the steeple鈥檚 wooden beams before removal, Olson said.
Plans are to build a steel cradle that will be lowered over the steeple and attached to it so the steeple can be lifted safely off its base.
Work is already underway at St. Patrick Catholic Church for the remove the spire after the deterioration of materials has left it structurally unsound.
A 400-ton crane鈥攎uch bigger than the one being used for the preliminary work鈥攊s expected to be in place to do the work Nov. 2, weather permitting.
The crane will lower the bell separately.
The steeple will remain in a courtyard next to the church 鈥渦ntil restoration fund-raising goals are met,鈥 the church said in a news release.
Plans for a 鈥渇ull restoration capital campaign鈥 are expected to be released in the coming weeks. For more information, contact the parish office at 608-754-8193.
鈥淣ot every generation has to take on a project like this. The generation that built this church did, and we do now,鈥 Olson said. 鈥淲e would like to give it another 157 years.鈥
Work is already underway at St. Patrick Catholic Church for the remove the spire after the deterioration of materials has left it structurally unsound.