Maryhill - Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary

MARYHILL - Upon the "hill" dedicated to the life of Mary, her sanctity and loving care, stands in majestic Gothic Beauty, one of God's Holy Temples - Visitation Church. It stands, west of Cherokee in the midst of Iowa's corn and bean fields, pastures, homesteads and century farms as a proud symbol of faith, farming, family and fellowship.

Like so many of the rural church communities, the Maryhill Church, founded in 1892, has been a gathering center for solace, for socializing and for the solemn celebration of the stages and ages of human life and spiritual development.

The early records, more scarce than available, indicate that as early as 1871, a community of the Catholic faith was beginning to form in the area. Periodically, itinerant priests from the Diocese of Dubuque offered Mass and conferred sacraments in the homes of the early settlers.

Soon, more settlers began arriving in growing numbers by rail, due to extensions of the Illinois-Central railroad. As this settler community grew - despite battles with plagues, decimating illnesses and crop failures - the need for a place of social gathering and community worship also grew. A church building was erected - pioneer style - and some of these community needs were temporarily met.

The community continued to grow and in a few short years there was demonstrated need and demand for a new church, a building with a more traditional church architecture. In 1877, the community became a Mission of Immaculate Conception Church, Cherokee, with Father James T. Saunders as pastor.

And so, in 1882 the church was built, notably larger and more like the old country churches of European heritage. A family among the earliest settlers donated a parcel of land, on a small hill, which has become the continuing location of Maryhill church and cemetery. While pictures exist of the church that was built at that time, its history was brief. Like so many wood structures of the time, forever exposed to the wiles and will of the weather of the Great Plains, lightning struck and burned it to the ground on Aug. 8, 1904.

As a people used to setbacks and totally unfamiliar with any kind of insurance, immediately they set about to re-building the church, this time even larger and more traditional. The new church was completed in an unbelievably short 10-month period. Much of the lumber needed was cut by setting up a temporary saw-mill nearby which then used local timber to provide materials for the artisans and carpenters to do their work.

The church was completed in 1905 and dedicated on Oct. 12. Its cost: an unbelievable $14,000. And, a few years later, a complete set of Munich Glass Company stained-glass windows, rich in Catholic Faith tradition, was installed in all the church windows. Related to the 1995 parish centennial event, these church windows were professionally assessed at a replacement value of $320,000.

In other developments, Maryhill was established as an independent parish in 1895 with Father Henry Eckert serving as the first resident pastor. The current rectory was built in 1899 and has been maintained, remodeled and refurbished to excellent condition.

In the continuing growth of the parish, a need and the demand for a school naturally emerged. Visitation School was built in 1896 to meet the needs of transmitting the "3 R" skills. Although the early years experienced difficulty in maintaining a staff of teaching nuns due to the heavy immigrant demands throughout the Midwest, this eventually stabilized and the school operated until 1967.

During seven decades it served the parish and the area well and further strengthened community ties. Fourteen religious vocations priests, sisters and brothers - have been spawned and developed at Mary's Hill including recognized writer and spiritual director, Sister Joyce Rupp, OSM.

The Sisters Convent was built in 1917. It is now the residence provided for the family serving as parish caretakers. The home has been completely renovated and modernized. Previously, the caretaker residence was a tiny apartment attached to the school building. The school building itself continues in use for multiple purposes including a CCD/Youth Center (The Upper Room), a workshop and storage area.

Changes continue at Maryhill and none more positive than this year's undertaking of constructing a new, no-steps entryway into the modernized and spacious church hall. This has made both church and hall fully handicapped accessible.