St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Perry, Iowa)

St. Patrick's Catholic Church and Rectory
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
File:St. Patrick Catholic Church, Perry, IA.jpg
Location	1312 Third St. Perry, Iowa
Coordinates
Built	1901-1902
Built by	McCavick and Squires
Architect	George Stauduhar
Architectural style	Gothic Revival
NRHP Reference #	11000138
Added to NRHP	March 22, 2011

St. Patrick's Catholic Church is a historic Catholic church located in Perry, Iowa, United States. The parish is part of the Diocese of Des Moines. The church building, which is built of stone in the Gothic Revival style, and the rectory were listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011.

History

The Rev. James Brazil from St. Ambrose Church in Des Moines offered the first Mass in Perry in 1871. He and other priests celebrated Mass in the homes of Catholic people in town. Property at the corner of Third and Lucinda streets was purchased in 1874 and a small frame building was constructed for a church. At the time it was part of the Diocese of Dubuque. Father Brazil celebrated the first mass in the new church, and the Rev. Charles Toner became the parish's first pastor the same year. The parish became part of the Diocese of Davenport when it was established in 1881. As the Catholic community increased in size the church became too small. Plans were drawn up for a red brick church that was completed in 1883.

By the time the Rev. James Cleary became pastor in 1898 the second church was also becoming too crowded. The parish voted to build a third church in 1900. It was designed by Rock Island, Illinois architect George Stauduhar in the Late Gothic Revival style. The cornerstone was laid in 1901 and it was completed the following year. Its exterior walls are composed of limestone and tracery and lancet windows alternate down the nave. It has been renovated several times over its existence. The most recent renovations was undertaken from 1993 to 1999.