Hardin in Big Horn County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)

St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 19, 2021

1. St. Joseph's Catholic Church Marker

Inscription. St. Joseph’s Catholic Church of Hardin was founded by Jesuit missionaries to the Crow Indians. Fr. Thomas Grant of St. Francis Xavier’s Mission purchased three town lots for $425 in 1908. The Jesuits constructed a plain, gable-front wooden building at the corner of Custer and Fourth, where each month one of the Fathers would come to say mass. In 1913, Fr. Grant paid $1,000 for a block of land on which to build a permanent church. Under canon law, only masonry churches—which were expected to hold at least 250 parishioners—could be consecrated as permanent structures. St. Xavier Mission Superior Father Louis Taelman estimated in 1916 that such a church would cost $6,000 to build. Post–World War I inflation and design changes brought the building’s final cost to between $15,000 and $20,000. To help fund construction, the parish sold the temporary church in 1917. While Omaha contractor J. W. Russell began work on the new church in spring 1919, Fr. Taelman held services in the downtown Sullivan Block. Fr. Taelman held the first mass in the new church on Christmas Day 1919. The church basement served as both rectory and parish

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hall. Although the interior was remodeled in 1938, the exterior retains the classic Gothic Revival elements that Hardin’s early congregations favored for their churches. In St. Joseph’s case, these include a steeply pitched roof, pointed windows, simple tracery, a tall tower with an octagonal steeple, brick buttresses, and a raised concrete foundation tooled to look like stone.

Erected by Montana Historical Society.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the Montana National Register Sign Program series list.

Location. 45° 44.149′ N, 107° 36.465′ W. Marker is in Hardin, Montana, in Big Horn County. It is on North Custer Avenue near 8th Street West, on the left when traveling north. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 710 North Custer Avenue, Hardin MT 59034, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Montana’s and he Crow Nation,

in Southeast Montana, in Custer Country. It is also in the American Mountain West,

in the

St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 19, 2021

2. St. Joseph's Catholic Church and Marker

The marker is on the left side of the church.

Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

on the Great Plains,

and specifically on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Rocky Mountains,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Big Horn County Library (approx. 0.2 miles away); 412 North Custer (approx. 0.2 miles away); Lee Building (approx. ¼ mile away); Francis Kopriva House (approx. 0.3 miles away); Big Horn County Courthouse (approx. 0.3 miles away); T.E. Gay Building (approx. 0.3 miles away); Hardin Commercial Historic District (approx. 0.3 miles away); Schneider Harness and Confectionary (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Hardin.

St. Joseph's Catholic Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 19, 2021

3. St. Joseph's Catholic Church

Credits. This page was last revised on January 1, 2022. It was originally submitted on December 31, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 232 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on December 31, 2021, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.