St. Mary's Catholic Church

This historic church was completed in 1904 and serves a Catholic parish established by German immigrants in 1851. Over a century and a half later, St. Mary's remains a leading landmark in Guttenberg and offers a fine example of Gothic architecture and features twin spires that reach a height of 146 feet, Gothic stained glass windows, rose windows, and buttresses. The parish complex, which includes a rectory, convent, and school, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2004 as the St. Mary's Catholic Church Historic District.

The origins of the German presence in Guttenberg date back to around 1846 when eleven German immigrants arrived in the community. They built a small wood-frame church in 1851 and then a slightly bigger brick building in 1853. A 75-foot tower was then added in 1854. The original church was then used as a school. There were calls to erect a new church in 1865 but disagreements about where delayed the project for several years. The issue was finally resolved in 1874 when a stone church was built at a new location. The school and rectory were built in 1894 and 1899, respectively, and the convent was erected in 1927. A modern school building was constructed in 1968 and is still in use today.

Jacobsen, James E. "St. Mary's Catholic Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. August 12, 2004. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/c1fd5d5d-4049-4ede-bc11-d7718d3daf0b.