Our History
Every Parish Has a Story
Here's Ours!
St. Joseph Parish began as a mission church in 1861 and has proudly served the Menomonie community ever since. St. Joseph School opened its doors in the fall of 1890 with instruction provided by the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration of La Crosse.
To learn more, take a look at the timeline below.​
Recent Pastoral History
Monsignor Charles Blecha: 1955-1984
Fr. Vaughn Brockman: 1984 - 1995
Fr. Lyle Schulte: 1996 - 2003
Fr. Tom Krieg: 2003 - 2014
Fr. John Selva Manohar: 2014 - 2015
Fr. James Kurzynski: 2015 - 2018
Fr. John Selva Manohar: 2018-Present
1860-1885
In 1861, St. Joseph Parish began as a mission church in Menomonie serving pioneers and loggers of Canadian, Irish, German, and Austrian descent, who worked in the vast pine forests in the winter and in the saw mills of the renowned Knapp, Stout & Co. Company during the summer.
The first Mass was celebrated by Fr. Smeddinck in the home of John Nolan. Construction on a small frame church began in 1861 on land donated by Knapp, Stout & Co. Company. It was built from donations by the mill hands and camp crews in the area. The church was completed in 1865.
By 1874, the parish numbered about 500 members. As the parish continued to grow, so did the need for a larger building.
In 1883, a much larger church, 55 x 135 feet, was built on the southeast corner of what is now Wilson and 9th Street. This church was completed in 1885.
