Archive Dive: The Duluth’s Polish Catholic Churches

This week’s Archive Dive takes us inside our newest book, “Duluth’s Grand Old Architecture 1870–1940” to tell the story of Duluth’s Polish Catholics through its three Polish Catholic churches: St. Mary’s Star of the Sea, Stes. Peter & Paul, and St. Josephat. Together their stories include mistreatment by Duluth’s Irish and German Catholics, the local Bishop seizing the deeds to churches built and paid for by congregants, a break-away congregation that was literally excommunicated by the local Bishop, and a visiting priest greeted with a volley of gravel, rocks, and eggs thrown by the host congregation’s women and children. Read all three to understand the full story.

Read the history of St Mary’s Star of the Sea here, the history of Stes. Peter & Paul here, and the history of St. Josephats here.