St. Brigid Cross. St. Bridget (Brigid) was born in the mid 5th century. Bridget is remembered for her great charity and kindness. She is co-patron of Ireland along with Patrick. In her endeavor to explain the passion and death of Jesus to her dying pagan father, she wove a cross from the rushes (thatch) strewn on the floor.

The St. Bridget Cross is believed to protect homes from want and evil.

St. Bridget, patroness of the parish is often depicted with a cow. Many of her works of kindness to her poor neighbors involved taking them milk, butter and cheese.

Next to the church on the left is the rectory built by Fr. Demarteau Suitbert, O.S.B. between 1876 - 1878.

St. Bridget Church in rural Marshall County, Kansas. Picture taken in 1994.

Picture of Parish buildings. You can see the edge of the convent on the left, next is the church. Between the church and rectory, you can see the old Parish hall (church number #4). Taken between 1916 - 1919 because the rectory in this picture was built in 1916 and it burned down on March 25, 1919.

St. Bridget Church and its former rectory. Picture was taken in Fall, 1997.

High winds or possibly a tornado did this damage to the church in May of 1950. Fr. Paul Miller was pastor at this time.

Archbishop Edward Hunkeler was bishop when St. Bridget Parish was closed in 1967. He later ordered that the church be torn down. This is what started the movement to form the St. Bridget Historical Society and save the church building.

Archbishop Ignatius J. Strecker saved the church from destruction. He allowed the former parishioners of St. Bridget to form a historical society and then donated the title and acreage to the Historical Society. He retired as Archbishop of Kansas City in Kansas in 1992. St. Bridget is eternally grateful to him.

St. Bridget Cemetery, looking northeast into the older section of the cemetery. The first church was built somewhere within the boundries of this cemetery. Date of picture: 1996

Creevan's General Store was north of the Church and rectory. Date of picture is unknown.

This was the second rectory built by the parish. The first rectory was destroyed by fire in 1869. This structure was built between 1876 and 1878 by Fr. Timothy Luber, O.S.B. and the men of the parish. In 1916, when a new rectory was built, this structure became the convent for the Benedictine Sisters teaching at St. Bridget School. In 1936, this building was destroyed by fire. The lady standing on the back porch is unidentified.

This building was constructed in 1936 as a convent to replace the building destroyed by fire earlier that year. In the mid-1950's, after the Sisters had left St. Bridget School, the parish sold the structure. It was moved about six miles from the parish grounds and resides there at that location today.

Auctioned on the front steps of the church on the occasion of the 25th Anniversary of the founding of the St. Bridget Historical Society - June 4, 1995. One of the bidders was Archbishop James P. Keleher.

Father Paul Miller with (left to right) Louis Hasenkamp, Alice Kuckelman and Tom Broxterman.

Advertisement for lighting system. This was the system used at St. Bridget Church and rectory from 1920 to 1947. It was installed by Father Nelligan when he rebuilt the rectory after the March, 1919 fire. This advertisement appeared in the 1927 St. Bridget Cookbook, published by the parish altar society.