Church on National Register

LeNore Stumpf, Axtell

St. Bridget Catholic Church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as of Sept. 12, 1996. Notification was received by the St. Bridget Historical Society in October. The church had been placed on the Register of Historic Kansas Places Oct., 14, 1995.

1996 marked the 26th annual St. Bridget Day and it was celebrated with Mass in the historic church on May 26. The celebration is one of two annual Masses at the church. The other commemorates All Souls Day, which is in November. With special permission from the archbishop, two weddings were performed in the church in 1994.

St. Bridget Church, which the settlers referred to as "the little ole church on the hill," is located six and a half miles north of Axtell, Kan., in Marshall County, near the Kansas-Nebraska line. It has a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside. The area was settled by Irish immigrants in the 1850s. A Catholic parish was established in 1862 and named for the Irish saint, Brigid.

At one time it was a thriving community with many Irish families, a trading post, school, convent for the Sisters who taught there, post office, and eventually a general store with gasoline pumps out front. There are only two remaining buildings at St. Bridget, the church and the former rectory, now a private home.

Because of a dwindling rural population the church became a mission of Holy Family parish in Summerfield in 1949. With a shortage of available priests, both parishes later became missions of St. Michael's in Axtell.

It was in 1967 when Archbishop Edward Hunkeler announced the closing of the St. Bridget Church. Two years later the archbishop announced that the church was to be demolished.

Former parishioners considered this a tragic ending for the building that the settlers, some of them ancestors of current area residents, struggled so hard to establish. They made plans to form a St. Bridget Historical Society, in hopes of averting the demolition.

This might not have proved successful except that the archbishop retired due to ill health. His replacement, Archbishop Ignatius Strecker, approved the plan to turn the church over to the Historical Society if they could provide for its care and upkeep. They could, and did. Work days and fund- raisers were organized. In 1994 a book titled History of St. Bridget Parish was compiled and published by St. Michael's pastor, the Rev. Tom Dolezal. Later the Historical Society republished a parish cookbook. The original was printed in 1927. Profits from those ventures go for upkeep of the church and cemetery.

The church is noted for its especially beautiful stained glass windows. Its high altar has been retained and the statues of St. Brigid, her friend St. Patrick, and St. Columba, which are positioned within the altar, have been restored, along with the rest of the church's statues. The building's interior features Gothic style architecture, characterized by its pointed arches, and a high vaulted ceiling which leaves one entire floor open and free of pillars.

St. Bridget's has been counted down many times, but it definitely is not out. With the news of its acceptance on the National Register, Marshall County now has 15 listings.

Kanhistique November, 1996 ­ page 2

(Copy of original letter sent to St. Bridget Historical Society)

HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE
6425 SW 6TH AVE
TOPEKA, KS 66615-1099
913-272-8681 *
FAX 913-272-8682

October 16, 1996

Dear Mr. Glynn:

We are pleased to inform you that the St. Bridget's Church, Route 2, 6.5 miles north of Axtell, Axtell vicinity, beginning at the southeast corner of the west half of the northeast quarter of Section 14, Township 1 South, Range 1 0 East; thence north 432 feet; thence west 660 feet; then south 432 feet; thence east 660 feet to the point of beginning in St. Bridget Township, Marshall County, Kansas. Containing 6.55 acres, more or less was entered onto the National Register of Historic Places on September 12, 1996. Enclosed is a copy of the nomination.

Listing of the St. Bridget's Church provides recognition of the community's historic importance and assures protective review of Federal projects that might adversely affect the character of the historic property. If the property is listed in the National Register, certain Federal investment tax credits for rehabilitation and other provisions may apply.

Listing in the National Register does not mean that limitations will be placed on the properties by the Federal government. Public visitation rights are not required of owners. The Federal government will not attach restrictive covenants to the properties or seek to acquire them.

The Heritage Trust Fund provides for the awarding of state grants for the preservation of properties listed on the national and state registers of historic places. All registered properties except for those owned by the state or federal governments are eligible for these grants. An opportunity will be given annually for eligible owners to submit applications. Applicants will have to provide a matching share, perhaps 20%, and will have to agree to follow the Secretary of the Interior's Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation in carrying out their projects.

Properties approved for nomination to the National Register by the Kansas Historic Sites Board of Review are automatically listed in the Register of Historic Kansas Places. Since 1981 the Kansas Historic Preservation Act (K.S.A. 75:1715-75:2725) has provided a strengthened review mechanism for projects undertaken by the state or any political subdivision of the state which affect properties listed on the National and Kansas registers of historic places. The law states that no governmental entity shall undertake a project which destroys, alters, or isolates national and state register properties and their environments until the State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) has been given notice of such a project and has been given the opportunity to investigate and comment upon the proposed project. Under the law, application for permits and changes which have the potential to adversely affect national and state register properties must be reviewed by the SHPO for their appropriateness before the permit is granted or the zoning change occurs. Likewise, projects/ activities carried out by individuals, firms, and/or organizations that receive financial assistance from any state agency or local governmental unit and involve properties listed on the national or state register must be reviewed by the SHPO for their impact on those historic properties.

We would also like to take this opportunity to caution you that significant alteration of a listed property may result in its being removed from the National Register. Please feel free to contact this office to check on acceptable preservation treatments when undertaking work or if you have any additional questions concerning the registration of this property. Should you have any questions about the nomination, please

contact Martha Hagedorn-Krass at 913-272-8681 ext. 213.  Thank you very much for your support of historic preservation in Kansas.

Sincerely yours,

Ramon Powers
State Historic Preservation Officer

(signature affixed)

Richard Pankratz, Director
Historic Preservation Office
MHK/djw

enc.   cc:

Marshall County Commissioners
Marshall County Historical Society
Axtell Public Library
Marysville Advocate
Chari Johnson-Reynolds

St. Bridget Added To Historic Register

A Gothic Catholic church in northeastern Marshall County has been named to the National Register of Historic Places.

St. Bridget church, 6 1/2 miles north of Axtell, was placed on the register in mid-September by the National Park Service.

The St. Bridget Historical Society was notified of the designation last week by the Kansas State Historical Society.

"We were all tickled," said Leo Glynn, Summerfield, co-secretary-treasurer of the St. Bridget Historical Society.

The designation will be a special cause of celebration Sunday at the church's 2 p.m. All Souls Day Mass. The church has two Masses a year, one in the fall and the other to celebrate the feast of St. Bridget.

Glynn said the historical society has been waiting to hear about the designation for about a year after it received state designation.

Coming projects will include contacting an architect to assess the condition of the church and possible application for grants to help with preservation work.

In his letter, Richard Pankratz, director of the historic preservation office of the Kansas State Historical Society, said the listing on the historic register Provides recognition of the church's historic importance.

To qualify for listing, a property must have the distinctive characteristics of a type, period or method of construction or represent the work of a master, or possess high artistic values or represent a significant and distinguishable entity whose components lack individual distinction.

St. Bridget's is recognize an example of Gothic late Victorian architecture.

Construction began in April 1902. The church cornerstone was laid in June 1905 and the red brick church was completed in 1908. The 50 x 100 foot brick building was built for a cost of $25,000 to $30,000.

The church's suspended vaulted ceiling is supported by hand hewn beams arranged in a magnificent manner.

One of the most architecturally significant Gothic features of the church is its vaulting systems. The entire system of vaults is suspended by handhewn beams. The side vaults are lower than the nave vaults, giving the structure the feeling of having side aisles. The suspended vault system leaves the floor completely open to the placement of pews.

In the application, the church is described as having a high degree of architectural integrity:

"It is an excellent example of Gothic architecture. It is exemplary of superior craftsmanship, design, artistry and engineering. St. Bridget is unique in its style, design and tradition. It stands as monument to the faith, sacrifice and diligence of the Irish pioneers who braved the breaking of a new frontier, established St. Bridget settlement and maintained an active parish for 105 years (1862 — 1967) "

The Marysville Advocate
October 24, 1996