County of church: Franklin County
Location of church: Cedar St. & Main St., Washington
Church built: 1866
Architectural type-style: Gothic
Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Contact Info: Phone: (636) 239-6701
Fax: (636) 239-9499
E-mail: sfbparish@sfbparish.org
NOTE: The front stairs, single set on old picture, with large wall and multilevel stairs of today
The color photo was taken in 1964, the black and white photo is from 1917.
"In the spring of 1834, the Rev. Father Verreydt came and celebrated Holy Mass in the little tavern, and administered to the spiritual needs of the Catholic families. For the next four years, Washington was just a mission, visited at intervals by priests from St. Charles. The records of the parish for these years are at St. Charles. The first records at Washington are of the baptism of Maria Elizabeth Menkhaus on June 11, 1838, and the marriage on August 30, 1838, of Dietrich Baare and Christina Albrecht.
"In 1838, a little log church was build about a mile south of Washington. The settlement continued to grow. The little church was enlarged, but was still too small. It was then, in 1840, that Lucinda Owens offered four lots to the Catholics in "New Washington."
"Some wanted to leave the old site and build the church in New Washington, and others wanted to remain. To settle the quarrel, the Rev. Father Provincial Van de Velde came in August, 1845, and decided the issue by permitting the building of two churches, one in Washington, and one in Krakow. The foundation of the church at Washington was altered, and made 120 feet shorter, a regrettable mistake, since the parish was never separated, and it soon became necessary to build a larger church.
"When the new church was completed in 1846, the old log church was taken down and rebuilt at Main and elm streets, where it was used for a school. The Rev. Father Eisvogels, who lived with the Eckelkamp family until the parsonage was built in 1848, was the first teacher. In 1852, a small brick school house was built.
"The Sisters of Notre Dame came to Washington in 1859, to teach in the school. They lived in the little log building at first, but in 1860 a convent was erected at Main and Elm streets. Part of this building was used for school rooms, and the little log school was moved to the rear of the new one, and was later used as a stable.
"The present large church was built in 1866. Two years later, the old church was torn down, and the bricks were used for a new school, built across the street. It had two class rooms below, and a large hall on the second floor. In this hall in 1873, the Dramatic Club of the parish began to hold their plays. For a number of years only men participated in the plays.
"In 1894, the Parish of Washington was given over to the Franciscan Fathers. A farewell celebration was held in honor of the Jesuit Fathers, who had worked so faithfully in Washington. Since that time, the parish has been served devotedly by the Franciscan Fathers. The present Pastor is the Very Rev. Sabastian Krempel, O. F. M.
"The days of the little log church seem very remote to us now as we view the fine big church of our present day, and the surrounding school buildings and convent. But not only should we comment on this material progress, but also on the marked advancement made in religion and education through the untiring efforts of the Catholic Church in Washington." ~ The History of
Washington, Missouri St. Francis Borgia Church by Lucile Mauntel