St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church

The heritage value of St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church lies in its long-standing and ongoing service to the district’s Catholic community. St. Joseph’s Parish dates to the early 1900s, when Oblate missionaries travelled to the area to conduct religious services in people’s homes. The Parish’s first church, a wood-frame structure, was built in 1913. The current brick church was erected in 1928 to replace the earlier wood building, which had been destroyed in a fire. Today, St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church is one of the few churches in the area that still hosts regular services.

There is further heritage value in the church’s architecture and religious furnishings, which connect the property to past congregants and to the community-at-large. Today’s congregation takes particular pride in the church’s religious statuary and bells, which were donated by early church members. Architecturally, the brick-clad church is widely valued as a landmark and symbol of community history. The church’s locally made bricks also speak to the important role the nearby Claybank Brick Plant once played in the community’s economic life.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Elmsthorpe No. 100 Bylaw No. 228-06.