Chapel at the St. Joseph Orphan Home, Superior, WI

Thanks to commenter Steve for posting this.
Since I was at the Wisconsin History.org site I remembered some postcards that show the interior of the Chapel at the St. Joseph Orphan Home in Superior.
These will BLOW YOUR MIND when you see what people once built in a small chapel in an orphanage.
They might also bring tears to the eyes when you see what Catholics used to design for their churches and how far away from that ideal we have fallen.
Check out the pictures below.  Let's find out what happened to this priceless heirloom of the Badger Catholics. 


From Architectural Antiques LLC
Architectural Antiques conducted this salvage of the Chapel of the Angels which was hidden on the top floor of St Joseph’s Children’s Home in Superior, Wisconsin

Quick Facts from one of our favorite Salvages to date.

Designed by Cleveland architect, Emile M. Ulrich, the orphanage was completed in 1917. The chapel, a gift from the Bishop of the Diocese of Superior, was not completed until 1919.

The children's home operated until 1963 when foster home programs eliminated the need for such a facility.

After that, it was used for other social programs (refugees, day care and handicapped center) up until 1984.

Changing needs and the inability to find new uses for a building are the first steps toward its demise.

St. Joseph's stood empty for over a decade when a decision was made to gut the building for remodeling.

While the rest of the building was not as significant and had been substantially changed over the years, the complete destruction of the virtually unchanged, two-story chapel would have been a great loss.

While the orphanage itself was Neoclassical in style, the exception was this chapel, truly this was a chapel of and for the Angels.

Baroque-rococo design & Style.

Artisans from Italy and Czechoslovakia crafted many of the stained glass windows. Italian marble, ornate plaster work, gilding, carved oak pews (undersized for children), and statuary made up much of the chapel's interior.

Salvage efforts by Architectural Antiques successfully removed a majority of all items that could be reused.

The firm attempted as complete a salvage as possible, spending numerous man-hours on scaffolding painstakingly removing the ornamental plaster work, much of it covered in gold leaf, from the walls and ceiling.

Much of the plaster work, light fixtures, paintings & bishop chairs featured cherubs & angels, a consistent theme throughout the chapel.

Those pieces as well as marble alters, stained glass and the oak pews were all saved and have been integrated into other homes or offices.
Unfortunately Architectural Antiques LLC did not take more pictures.  There are only a few and none of the chapel in total.

A church in Spokane, Washington states it has obtained many of the furnishings.  I'm glad they found a good home.
Many of the present furnishings were obtained from St. Joseph’s Orphanage in Superior, Wisconsin.
The Sisters of St. Joseph ran the orphanage until its closure.

Photos courtesy of WisconsinHistory.org

Why can't we build churches like this any more (and why are we gutting the ones we have)?

35 comments:

John McCarthy said...

I guess there were multiple salvage contracts. I removed the 11-foot diameter ceiling medallions and much of the ornate plaster work from the chapel, as well as all of the altar tile, cast iron newel posts, built-in cabinets from the rectory, doors, hardware and many light fixtures.

Badger Catholic said...

Thank you for the information John! I know it's been a while but do you know who else we could try to contact to get more photos of what it looked like prior to the salvage? It's hard to believe that this was an American church, a remarkable structure.

John McCarthy said...

I'll do a bit of footwork and see if I can hustle up any older photos.

Anonymous said...

Thank you for these beautiful photos. My father lived at the orphanage from about 1919 to 1924. His recollections of the chapel were filled with affection and a sense of tranquility.

Anonymous said...

All I can say is "wow". I haven't seen anything nearly as beautiful in a Catholic Church in a long time. I pray for the day when people wake up and say "What do we need to do to make our local parish church beautiful rather than adequate and utilitarian?".

Anonymous said...

I have just posted some beautiful color pictures of the chapel on the Facebook Page "You know you're from Superior, WI when..." I did not take these pictures. I don't even recall how I came to have them but if you are looking for some pictures of the chapel these are stunnning.

Badger Catholic said...

THANK YOU ANON! I am posting them this week.

Anonymous said...

Hi;
Is it possible for you to end me the color pictures refered to by Anonymous?
Thank you very much.
jes
jeschmidt_ch(at)hotmail.com

Anonymous said...

I was in the orphanage between ages 5 and 7. I don't remember much about the experience with the exception of Sister Mathew and THE CHAPEL.
WHAT A SHAME THAT IT WAS NOT SAVED!
Anthony (Tony) Miller

Anonymous said...

I remember you Tony.. and your brother Bill. I was at St Joe's from June 1949 until July 1959.

Steve Rutkowski

Anonymous said...

And the whole chapel was scaled to child size - even the pews! So beautiful.

Anonymous said...

Beautiful it was, and I regret so very much that a better more detailed photographic record was not made. I lived there for about 9 years. and I recall the place with true friendship and consideration. Thank you, Sisters Mary Mathew and Sister Gabriel, as well as the bus driver and the bells and the relic of St Stephen in the alter. The place lives in me to this day...

Anonymous said...

MY MOTHER LIVED HERE FROM 1949-59.
I HAVE PICTURES.

Badger Catholic said...

If you would like to share them, please email me at matt@badgercatholic.com

Unknown said...

I have a crazy connection to this building. My brother attended the handicapped school in the late 70's early 80's. Fastforward to 1995, my family had moved to SW Florida (in 1985), I met my husband to be and upon traveling to Sterling Heights, Michigan to meet his parents, his mom starts telling me her connection to my home town or superior. apparently her grandmother was a widow with children and was able to work at the orphanage in the earlier 1900's. One of the sons became a priest. Fr John. Wittner was the family name I believe. I have the exact dates and some photos. I would love to find some relic of piece of St John to have in our home in FloridA, to remember and appreciate this connection.

Anonymous said...

I would love to see those pictures. I was there the same years as your mother.
Steve Rutkowski
Pahoo@q.com

Anonymous said...

Any ideas as to who the man inside the main alter is? what saint it is?

Stefanie Justen said...

I'm shocked at the praise everyone is giving to this place. The nuns abused my mother, her three sister and numerous other children for decades!! Not to mention that pedophile priest Irving Klister worked here as well.. unfortunately, long before he was ever arrested for child poem and rape!!!

Stefanie Justen said...

Let me correct myself, I meant PORN!

Anonymous said...

My mother as well!

Steve Rutkowski said...

Irving Klister must not have been there very long. Another web site states that he was there in 1953-54. I was 8 years old then, and I can't remember the name at all.
On the other hand, A Duluth News Tribune article from Jun 30, 2010 mentions Robert Urban as another Superior priest accused of "inappropriate or illegal sexual conduct". I remember him well.

Old Orphan said...

I was there with my brothers and sisters. One of my brother's, George, drowned while trying to swim across. Our mother use to show up once in a while and give us all a sucker. That was it. Our father never visited. She had other children with another man also. She eventually was imprisoned at Taycheedah for prostitution. She a man named George Tuske.

Old Orphan said...

They are talking about the beauty of the building itself. What happened inside those walls was, indeed, atrocious. But it was still a beautiful building.

Unknown said...

I live there at St Joe's from 1967 until 1970. I have many stories about the place that I would like to share. There were five units in the building. A unit consisted of prefab walls and ceilings. Each unit had 10 to 12 bedrooms. I was in two North. How about those fire escapes? How about the control rooms?

Anonymous said...

I was there in 1967 or so. I was on the 3rd floor girls unit. Made some good friends. Was there about a year. Went out to school at Central Jr. High. [ wonder if anyone else is out there.

Don Hoogland said...

My father and his brother and sister were orphaned there in early 1900's and were sent there from the catholic church in Harrison Wisconsin. HERE ARE THERE NAMES AND HOPE SOMEONE CAN FURNISH INFORMATION REGARDING THEM. THEY WERE THEODORE NICHOLS hOOGAND, WILLIAM HOGLAND AN WILOMENA hOOGLAND. I CAN BE REACHED AT MY MAIL,,rutuff2@aol.com THANK YOU FOR ANY HELP THAT CAN BE ASSOCIATED WITH MY RELAIIES AND FATHER, MY DAD WAS TAKEN IN BY HIS HALF BROTHER SIEVERT KLAVER(SIFE)AND HE WORKED AS A LUMBER JACK IN THE WOODS NEAR TOMAHAWK WISCONSIN

Unknown said...

I was there from 1965-1967. I had the job of being the dishwasher. 17 when I left. I remember the sisters and Father Spearstra.

Unknown said...

I was there at about the same time. I went to Superior Cathedral High. I could tell you stories about those "control rooms".

Unknown said...

Does anyone have pictures of the building itself? Is it still there?

Unknown said...

I lived out at st. Joseph children's home I lived out there from the age of 12 until I was fifteen or sixteen I think I was when I got out of there the chapel is beautiful it got torn down I don't know what your they tore down but I had the building inspector get me some pictures of the chapel so if you'd like them you can get ahold of me on Facebook or call me at 715 919-2956 I used to go by Sandy Hanson no I'm Sandra privett so if you need to get ahold of me

Unknown said...

Yes I was there St Joseph's children's home I was on third floor with the girls do you remember Sister Juliana

Unknown said...

I have pictures of the inside of the church would you like them get a hold of me at 715-919-2956 I used to be a patient there my name used to be Sandy Hansen

Unknown said...

My mom told me that George drown...she was living there at the same time.

Unknown said...

I went down the fire escape a couple times I spent more than that in the control rooms. They were not fun. This is Frank I was there the same time you were who are you

Unknown said...

Somewhere I have a few pictures of this place. I was there in 1966 when it was Saint Joseph's children home run by nuns. That chapel was absolutely beautiful.