Property Record
626 5TH ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Sisters of St. Francis Convent |
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| Other Name: | Keen-Agers Retirement Living |
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| Reference Number: | 59323 |
| Location (Address): | 626 5TH ST |
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| County: | Winnebago |
| City: | Menasha |
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| Year Built: | 1911 |
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| Additions: | 1953 |
| Survey Date: | 2009 |
| Historic Use: | religious residence |
| Architectural Style: | Queen Anne |
| Structural System: | Unknown |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | A.j. Bruehl |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | Yes |
| Demolished Date: | 2011 |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| Additional Information: | 1984/86: St. John's Polish Catholic Church was established in 1888 when 75 Polish families severed their connections with St. Mary's and established their own parish. That same year a church was constructed at the corner of Fifth and De Pere streets under the direction of Rev. Andrew Seubert of St. Mary's. A school run in connection with the church was taught by the sisters of St. Francis, an order from Milwaukee. Between 1891 and 1895 plans for a new church were undertaken, and the old structure was constructed in 1911 by A.J. Bruehl at a cost of $8,000 and remained in use as a convent until recently. The rear addition was constructed in 1953. The Sisters of St. Francis Convent is the larger and older of the two extant convents built in Menasha, the other being associated with St. Mary's Catholic Church and built in 1950. Both convents served the residential needs of orders associated with their respective parochial schools. The Sisters of St. Francis Convent is locally significant for its association with growth and development of St. John's Polish Catholic Church, and for its long association with Menasha's Polish community. Situated just off Appleton Road, St. John's Convent is a two-story Queen Anne convent. Its plan configuration is rectangular with a tower and rear addition, and its roof is hipped with dormers. The roofing materials are asphalt shingles, the walls are yellow brick and the foundations are rock faced ashlar limestone. The front porch is concrete block,a nd decorative features include molded brick windowcaps and cornice belt course. St. John's Convent is of local architectural significance as a fine example of the Queen Anne period of construction. 2009--No apparent exterior changes have been made to the building since last surveyed in 1984. The following info is from the 2009 Intensive Survey of Menasha: The St. John the Baptist (Polish) Catholic Church complex is comprised of a church (AHI#59325), convent (AHI#59323), school and parish hall (AHI#154346), as well as a rectory (AHI#153761). The Romanesque Revival-style, brick church (1900) is located at the immediate northwest corner of 5th & De Pere streets. The primary entrance faces 5th Street and the original, tripartite entrance and staircase is entirely obscured by a one-story, circa-1960s, brick and stone enclosure; however, the original rose window remains visible above. Towers remain extant to either side of the gabled block; however, based on a historic photograph, both have been considerably shortened. Brick buttressing with stone trim vertically articulates the side walls of the church and separates the three, round-arched, stained-glass windows (with tracery) on either side. A modern, enclosed entrance has been added to both the east and west side doorways. The rectilinear and "modern," brick-faced rectory (1953-54) is located north of the church, to which it is physically connected. The school is situated just west of the church and rectory. The majority of the 5th Street-facing, Collegiate Gothic-style elevation of the original 1934 school building is obscured by a circa-1950s, one-story addition; however, much of the original brick-clad school building can be seen from 6th Street (although little detailing is evident from 6th Street). Finally, the complex includes a late Queen Anne-style, brick-faced convent built in 1911. A three-story, windowed tower rises from the building's southwest corner and is topped with a conical cap; hipped-roof dormers sheathed with wide siding are located along three of the four elevations. The one-over-one-light windows throughout the original block are topped with raised brick hoods and are largely arranged singly--although a few are paired. A flat-roofed porch with rock-faced, concrete block supports shelters much of the primary (south) facade, including the doorway and transom. A two-story, flat-roofed addition was added to the rear (north) of the building in 1953. St. John the Baptist (Polish) Catholic Church was founded in 1888, when seventy-five Polish families broke away from St. Mary's Catholic Church. That same year, a combined, frame-constructed church, school and sister's residence was built and, in 1889, the first rectory was erected. The church history cites that in 1892, school children were being taught in both Polish and English. In 1900, the subject brick church was constructed. It took five years to raise the funds to build the extant 1911 convent and nearly twenty years to raise $32,000 towards the construction of a new school building--for which an additional $45,000 loan was needed. The combined school and parish hall, which cost nearly $90,000, was completed in 1934. The last Polish sermon was given on 27 January 1946 and five years later the new auditorium and gymnasium (with a two-car garage) was dedicated. A large addition was made to the rear of the convent in 1953 and, sometime after 1956, the new front entrance to the church was constructed. The school was discontinued in June 2002 and the buildings are used for office space, religious education and rented for meetings. The St. John's and St. Mary's parishes are currently served by a single pastor. |
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| Bibliographic References: | A. Mancosky, George and Zelinski, Robert. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church Diamond Jubilee: 1888-1963. menasha, Wisconsin. Privately Published, 1963. page 1. B. Menasha Record; April 5, 1910, page 1. C. Mancosky and Zelinski, page 19. D. Ibid. "Highlights of St. John the Baptist Church." Timeline prepared by the congregation, including historic photo of church, circa 1956. Copy at the Menasha Historical Society Research Center. "St. John the Baptist History," Available online at www.stmarymenasha.org/History.html, Accessed on 20 June 2009. http://www.thecompassnews.org/2013/08/st-john-the-baptist-parish-concludes-125th-anniversary-with-aug-17-mass/ |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |