Historic Polish Catholic Churches in Milwaukee

In a city known for industrial growth based on immigrant labor, Polish Americans made their mark on Milwaukee by building two remarkable Polish Catholic churches. From the late 19th century days when incoming ethnic groups planted themselves together in cloistered neighborhoods, Poles settled the near South Side of Milwaukee, just below Walker’s Point. The centers of community activity were the Catholic churches, as they represented sacrifice, hope, and inspiration to new Americans while providing them with social support, linguistic comfort, and educational opportunities. St. Stanislaus Church and the Basilica of St. Josaphat are landmarks in Milwaukee’s rich Polish history.

St. Stanislaus Catholic Church
524 W. Historic Mitchell St.
Milwaukee, WI 53204

At the corner of Mitchell and 5th Streets, in what is now a predominantly Latino neighborhood, sits the lovely but unassuming St. Stanislaus Church. Despite the large numbers of Polish immigrants on the east coast and in Chicago, a Milwaukee congregation built the first intentionally Polish Catholic church in a United States urban center. Using their meager wages from jobs at the nearby Port of Milwaukee and Third Ward Factories, devout Polish Americans tithed and sacrificed to raise money for a church that could serve as a cultural center for their community. Construction was completed in 1873.

Parishioners chose 11th century bishop of Krakow and prominent Polish martyr, Stanislaus of SzczepanÃ?³w, as their church’s namesake. A mosaic tribute to the Black Madonna, Our Lady of Czestochowa, was added during a 1960s revitalization. One notable feature of St. Stanislaus is its double-clocked, double towers. The clock faces are now dark and dingy, but they were once white and bright.

The immediate context of this church was disrupted when what is now Interstate 94/43 forced its concrete corridor just east of 5th Street. The best compromise for a view of the church’s faÃ?§ade is from the embankment across the highway. If you ignore the ugly fences and speeding traffic below you, it’s easier to picture this church as an anchoring presence in a strong ethnic neighborhood in the late 19th century. Although the church once offered services in Polish, it now holds mass in Spanish and English, reflecting the changing composition of the community

The commercial corridor just west of the church, on what the city has termed “Historic Mitchell Street,” was the object of a 1990s urban revitalization project that has not been as successful as planners hoped. Several blocks west of Saint Stanislaus sits another reminder of the neighborhood’s Polish origins, the somewhat decayed Modjeska Theatre. Once upon a time, the strip was known as the Polish Grand Avenue.

Basilica of St. Josaphat
601 W. Lincoln Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53215
www.thebasilica.org

During the 1870s and 1880s, Poles came to Milwaukee in droves, resulting in an immigrant population second only to the Germans. St. Stanislaus, while it was still glorious and reflected the hard work of its parishioners, could no longer serve the needs of the almost exploding Polish ethnic community that was expanding southward.

With a sizable population to help in fundraising and construction, leaders proposed the idea of a grand church, and plans were drawn by architect Erhard Brielmaier. As the figures were being finalized, news came from Chicago than an old federal building was being dismantled, and the industrious Milwaukee Poles decided they wanted to purchase the dome and other materials and then transport them to Milwaukee. This radical change of plans resulted in a reconception of St. Josaphat from brick to concrete.

Parishioners worked tirelessly to unload the over 500 flatbed rail cars carrying heavy stone and other building materials from Chicago. Out of these scraps, they assembled a grand church seating over 2000. Completed in 1901, St. Josaphat was given the status of Basilica by the Vatican in 1929, making it only the third such designation in the United States. The Polish community of Milwaukee had made history again through its dedication.

St. Josaphat is somewhat curious architecturally, with a colonnade awkwardly attached to one side of the building. Although this can be seen as an homage to Saint Peter’s in Rome, this appendage appears less refined on St. Josaphat. Two stubby towers rise above the colonnade, with the giant copper dome capping the nave. The last minute retooling of the design by Brielmaier may have resulted in the clunkier tribute. Nonetheless, the basilica retains a determined beauty, reflecting its parishioners devotion to martyr Josaphat Kuncevyc.

St. Josaphat sits on the busy corner of Lincoln Avenue and Sixth Street, just about six blocks from St. Stanislaus. With an imposing presence that lacks immediate green space to set it off, it retains an urban feel. Kosciusko Park is nearby, however, and the most complete views of the Basilica come from the park’s Southeast edge.