SHORT HISTORY OF ST. AGATHA CHURCH

• In 1871 a piece of land is bought on the corner of 9th Street and Utah.  On October 29th of the same year a cornerstone was laid for the building that was to serve as the church, school and rectory.  This building, which does not exist today, was located on the southwest corner of the property.  Most of the parishioners were of German descent.
• In 1872 the first school was opened.
• In 1873 the new rectory building, which does not exist today, was erected.
• On April 12, 1885 a cornerstone was laid for the new church and on September 27th of the same year, the building was dedicated by Bishop Joseph Rademacher.
• On April 7, 1893 Sisters of the Most Precious Blood, who taught in the school, moved into the newly built house, which has served as their Convent to this day.
• In 1896 the current day rectory was erected.
• In 1899 the church was enlarged by building a transept.
• In 1909 due to the increasing number of school children, a new school building, which is currently standing on the property, was erected.
• On December 31, 1921, two months after the church renovations were completed a fire broke out and caused serious losses.
• In October 1922 the renovations, which were necessary due to the fire, were completed.
• In the summer of 1926 extensive improvements were performed in the school hall to help render the building fireproof.
• In September 1928 new bells were installed in the clock tower.
• The next redecorations of the church took place in 1937; and in 1945 improvements were made to both the church and school.
• The improvements carried out in 1945 to the presbytery have remained in place until the current time.
• In 1993 the parking lot was enlarged and resurfaced, and tuck-pointing was performed around the church and the remaining three buildings.
• Between 1983 and 2005, with the permission of the Vatican, Latin Tridentine Masses were celebrated in the church.
• On July 1, 2005, the church was given to the Poles residing in St. Louis and the surrounding areas.
• Between 2005 and 2012 a variety of improvements and redecorating took place in all of the buildings including: redecoration of the Café, changing the lighting from incandescent to fluorescent.
• In 2005 the Polish Library was founded.
• In 2011 the Blessed John Paul II Polish School was founded, and after canonization of the Holy Father in 2014, changed its name to St. John II Polish School.
• Between 2012 and 2014 renovations of the rectory, parking lot, the small spire, and the church clock tower took place.