Larchwood - St. Mary

LARCHWOOD - The first Mass in what is now the town of Larchwood was offered by Father Phelan of Rock Valley in 1887. The Mass was said in Phelan's Land and Weighing office. Nine families were present for that Mass. In 1888, an old school building located on the west side of town was donated for Mass to be offered in. The parishioners sat on planks and kegs.

The Church of Saint Mary was officially established in 1898 for the price of $2,274.86. The first resident pastor was Father George Cook. In 1900, the church was moved to the east side of town where it stood until its demolition in 1980. In 1903, St. Mary purchased a 1600-pound bell made from East India block tin and copper. It is still used today. The dominant ethnic background of the parish is German and Dutch.

Father James Kelly (1910-1911), Father S. P. Roth (1911-1929), Father H. A. Janse (1929-1949), Father Charles Kneip (1949-1956), Father Clemens A. Knobbe (1956-1958), Father LeRoy Frank (1958-1963), Father Harold Cooper (1963-1966), Father Robert Fangman (1966-1974), Father Edmond Adams (1974-1984), Father Gerald Fisch (1984-1991), Father Frank Nemmers (1991-1998) and Father John A. Vakulskas, Jr. (1998-present) have all served Larchwood St. Mary's over the years.

In 1915, the St. Mary School was finished for $24,378.92. The brick school as located just south of the church and classes were held for 79 students in grades 1-10.

The school was remodeled in 1949 at a cost of $9,000. A new grade school was initiated in 1965 and completed for a cost of $130,000. The high school was closed in 1968 due to a lack of teaching sisters. Four hundred and twelve students had graduated in the 49-year history of St. Mary High School. In 1974, the grade school closed permanently.

The present church was built in 1979 under the leadership of Father Adams. The church, kitchen and reception hall was connected to the grade school building. The total cost of the new church came to over $500,000. The old church and original school building were torn down in 1980 and 1982, respectively.

A new rectory was completed in 1984 and the old rectory was moved across the street. A gathering area was added to the church in 1997 to provide a fellowship and gathering area.

Some of the religious groups that have served the parish are the Men's Catholic Order of Foresters, which was established in 1901. In 1912 the Altar Society was established and The Women Catholic Order of Foresters was started in 1948. The Men's Club, or Holy Name, was formed in 1951 with St. Mary Sodality beginning in 1940. Active today are the Foresters, Altar Society and Knights of Columbus, which began in 2000.