Property Record
1115 BELKNAP ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE KING |
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| Other Name: | CATHEDRAL OF CHRIST THE KING |
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| Reference Number: | 17541 |
| Location (Address): | 1115 BELKNAP ST |
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| County: | Douglas |
| City: | Superior |
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| Year Built: | 1927 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 197520122019 |
| Historic Use: | church |
| Architectural Style: | Romanesque Revival |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Limestone |
| Architect: | Preuss & Widmer |
| Other Buildings On Site: | Y |
| Demolished?: | No |
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| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | A 'site file' exists for this property. It contains additional information such as correspondence, newspaper clippings, or historical information. It is a public record and may be viewed in person at the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Historic Preservation-Public History. 2012- The Cathedral of Christ the King was begun in 1926 and was completed in 1927 and it is a superb example of the Romanesque Revival style, which is characterized by the use of round arch window and door openings and other decorative elements. The Cathedral's design was intentionally based on early Christian basilicas, the plans of which feature a high central nave, lower side aisles, and a semi-circular apse at the end. In addition, the entrance to such churches was also often preceded by a vestibule (or narthex) and larger examples often have transepts as well. The Cathedral of Christ the King has a cross-shaped or cruciform basilican plan that is dominated by a long one-story-tall gable-roofed nave whose ridgeline height is the same as its intersecting but very shallow gable-roofed transepts. The Cathedral rests on massive poured concrete foundation walls that enclose a full basement story and this story was converted into a parish hall complete with kitchen and other rooms in 1946. The exterior walls that rest on this foundation are completely clad in dressed Indiana limestone blocks. These walls are sheltered by copper-clad shed roofs that cover the lower side aisles, the apse, the bell tower, and the two sacristies, and by red tile-covered multi-gable roofs that cover the building's taller nave and its transepts. The main facade of the Cathedral faces south onto Belknap St. and it is symmetrical in design. The entire exterior of the Cathedral is clad in beautifully worked limestone blocks and the exterior is enriched by the placement of decorative stone corbel tables under the eaves of all of the exterior elements, by the addition of blind round-arched stone arcades that encircle the upper stories of the church's three apses, and by the similar but open arcades that encircle the four sides of the uppermost story of the bell tower. The impressive, highly intact exterior of the Cathedral is matched by its highly intact, equally impressive, and newly restored interior. The Cathedral was designed in 1926 by Louis Preuss, an architect then practicing in St. Louis, Missouri, who was the design partner in the firm of Preuss & Widmer. Arthur J. Widmer was the business partner in the firm and he was also the principal in the firm of Widmer Engineering of St. Louis, this being the firm that actually held the contract for the construction of the Cathedral. Preuss's inspiration was the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome, Italy, a very early Christian Church whose original portion was built in 432 A.D. The Cathedral was the subject of an extensive restoration project in 2005-2006 that also resulted in the completion of some of the few remaining unfinished interior decorative features of the original design. As a result, both the interior and exterior of the Cathedral are now in outstanding condition and this important building continues to be the principal ceremonial center ofthe Roman Catholic faith in Superior today. -"USH 2 (Belknap St.)" WisDOT ID #8680-00-01 (71), Prepared by Timothy F. Heggland (MAP) (2012). MODELLED AFTER SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE IN ROME. SIMPLE ROUND ARCH ARCADE ENTRANCE, ROMANESQUE TRIPLE ARCH OPENING IN 4 STORY BELL TOWER, ROUND ARCH TRANSOMED DOORS, ROUND ARCH WINDOWS. This church was designed and built by the St. Louis, MO firm of Preuss and Widmer (Louis Preuss was the architect and Widmer was the builder) and it was completed in 1927 and eventually cost $350,000. The front steps were built in 1937 and the parish hall in the cathedral basement was completed in June of 1946. |
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| Bibliographic References: | The (Superior) Evening Telegram: September 26, 1927, p. 2; December 20, 1927, p. 16; December 24-25, 1927, p. 2; december 26, 1927, p. 4; May 28, 1937, p. 4; June 22, 1946. . Mershart, Ronald V. Century 1889-1989: A Memorial of 100 Years of Christian Community, Cathedral of Christ the King. Superior, 1989. Diocesean Files of the Cathedral Parish. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |