New Prague in Scott County, Minnesota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 2022
1. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery Marker
The first burial in this cemetery was in 1884. Remains and monuments with death dates older than 1884 were moved here from the old church yard cemetery before the current (third) church was built in 1906. The St. Wenceslaus Cemetery Chapel was built in 1899. There are three priests interred in the basement crypts of the chapel.
Leden, Ledna ... JanuaryErected in cooperation with Czech Heritage Club of New Prague.
Únor, Února ... February
Březen, Březena ... March
Duben, Dubna ... April
Květen, Května... May
Ĉerven, Ĉervna ... June
Ĉervenec, Ĉervnence... July
Srpen, Srpena ... August
Září ... September
Říjen, Října ... October
Listopad, Listopadu ... November
Prosinec, Prosince ... December
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion • Immigration • Settlements & Settlers. A significant historical year for this entry is 1884.
Location. 44° 32.876′ N, 93° 34.484′ W. Marker is in New Prague, Minnesota, in Scott County. Marker is at the intersection of Church Avenue North and 4th Street Northeast, on the
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Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 11 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Northside Park (approx. 0.4 miles away); Philipp's Park (approx. half a mile away); Greenway Park (approx. 0.6 miles away); Reverend Emil Polášek (approx. 7.6 miles away); Nachbar Donated Site (approx. 8.6 miles away); Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.3 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.4 miles away); a different marker also named Veterans Memorial (approx. 10.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in New Prague.
Also see . . . Church of St. Wenceslaus, New Prague, Minnesota (Wikipedia).
The group of immigrants who settled New Prague had originally settled around Dubuque, Iowa, but many of them died of cholera. Four men from the community traveled up the Mississippi River to Saint Paul, in search of a healthier climate. They met with Catholics in the area who advised them that Benedictines from Saint John's Abbey near Saint Cloud, Minnesota, were helping settlers find land. The explorers from the Czech community got lost, though, and ended up following the Minnesota River to Shakopee instead.(Submitted on February 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)They found that there was ample land to the south, so the four men purchased land and brought their families north from Iowa. The parish of St. Wenceslaus was organized in 1856, and a log church was built the following year.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 20222. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery MarkerLooking west from Church Avenue North, just inside the cemetery main gate.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 2022
3. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery Gate
The marker is visible on the left.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 2022
4. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
Looking west through the cemetery; cemetery chapel is in the background.
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 2022
5. St. Wenceslaus Cemetery Chapel
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 3, 2022
6. St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church
From the National Register Nomination: The church complex of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church is primarily significant for its association with the Czech population that settled portions of south central Minnesota in Scott, Le Sueur, and Rice counties. The buildings of St. Wenceslaus provide a focus visually and functionally for New Prague and the surrounding Czech community. St. Wenceslaus was organized in 1856, shortly after Bohemian and Czech settlers had arrived in the area. A small settlement grew up around the Catholic church and became the primary center serving the surrounding rural community. These settlements, or “Catholic hamlets,” were common in Catholic dominated Scott and Le Sueur counties. New Prague grew out of the small community centered around St. Wenceslaus. The church has been the central parish for the surrounding Czech population and for the larger Catholic population of the area as well. The area remains a thriving viable Czech dominated community in which the church plays a central role.
Land was donated for church buildings in 1857, and a log church and log rectory were the first buildings constructed (1858-61 and 1862 respectively). The first church burned, and a new church was constructed in 1868; a brick rectory replaced the log one in 1873. A school and convent were added to the church complex in 1878 and c. 1880. The parish outgrew these buildings and they, in turn, were replaced by the present structures, Of pivotal significance are the church (1907), school (1914), and rectory (1908).
Credits. This page was last revised on February 8, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 62 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on February 8, 2024, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
