St. Aloysius Church Historic Site - Greenbush, Kansas
The St. Aloysius Church Historic Site in the unincorporated
community of Greenbush, Kansas has a church and a church ruins sitting
almost side by side. The 1887 St. Aloysius Church was replaced by a larger
building in 1907, but the newer building was struck by lightning and destroyed
in 1982 and the congregation returned to the older building. The registered
Kansas state historic site is very picturesque.
A grotto has been added since the first time we visited
St. Aloysius CHurch Historic Site. The grotto was dedicated on September
21, 2014.
St. Aloysius Church Grotto with Nativity in 2018
St. Aloysius Church Historic Site in 2011 - before the addition of
the grotto
Text of historic marker:
THE LEGEND OF GREENBUSH
According to legend, in 1869, Father Phillip Colleton, was
caught at this site by a furious hail and thunder-
storm. The frightened priest took refuge under his
saddle and vowed that if his life was spared, he would
build a church on this spot. The fervent promise resulted in the establishment
of St. Aloysius, Greenbush. The
first Catholic Church erected in Crawford County was
a wooden frame structure completed in 1871. Located on
the Historic "Mission Road". The church was destroyed by a storm in 1877.
Parishioners quarried limestone from Hickory Creek and completed the second
church in 1881. The first resident pastor, Father F. M. Verdan, arrived
in 1882 and served the church for fifty years. A larger church was needed
and completed in 1907. The 1881 church was converted into a community building.
The third church stood for 75 years as a landmark before it was struck
by lightning and burned in 1982. The ruins remain. The 1881 church was
renovated into a place of worship. Thus the second church became the fourth
church on March 9, 1986 and served the people until it closed in 1993.
Father Colleton's promise will continue.
Registered state historic site - February 26, 1994.
Erected by the St. Aloysius Historical Society and Kansas Department
of Transportation
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St. Aloysius Church - Greenbush (Girard)
One of three bells recovered from the bell tower after the 1982 fire
Kansas Department of Transportation Historic Marker
St. Aloysius Church Historic Site Map
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