St. Joseph (Key West, Iowa)

St. Joseph (Key West, Iowa)

“Catholics residing southwest of Dubuque, in Mosalem and Table Mound Townships, were organized into a parish in 1872 by Father Thomas J. O’Reilly, a priest of the Cathedral in Dubuque. Father Samuel Mazzuchelli and Bishop Mathias Loras had celebrated Mass in the area much earlier. In the 1840s Bishop Loras had a small frame church built on Table Mound, a short distance from the present Key West church and near the Old Mount Saint Bernard Seminary, but it lasted only a few years. Father James Ward was appointed the first resident pastor of about 35 families in June of 1873. He lodged with one of the families and a rectory was finished in 1874. But Father Ward was not about to live in it, as he turned it over to the Presentation Sisters, newly arrived from Ireland. It was their first motherhouse in Iowa.”

- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #70: Saint Joseph Parish, Key West.” Dubuque: The Witness, 17 April 1988.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.

Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.

Various primary and secondary sources.

English.

Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"

1872-
History of the parish over the span of 147 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.

Articles Incorporation 1911 (1 document)

Articles of Reincorporation and certificate 1961 (4 documents)

Bulletin 10 December 1991 (1 document)

Centennial of Presentation Sisters and Catholic schooling for Key West 1975 (1 document)

Drawing (1 document)

Drawings of Proposed addition to school 1962 (2 documents)

Erection of Church (1 document)

Fall Festival 1993, 1997 (2 documents)  

Financial Statement (4 documents)

History (2 documents)

Pastor Cards (1 collection)

Photograph and Pastor Picture 1975, 1985 (2 documents)

Photographs Church, Convent, School, Rectory (4 documents)

Photograph/Pastor’s Message/Brief History Packet (1 packet)

Hoverman, Carol. “Key West religious education students back local Marines.” Dubuque: The Witness, 13 April 2008, p. 1.

“Key West Church Dedicated Sunday.” Dubuque: Telegraph Herald, 15 February 1926.

McCormick, John. “The blue cross.” Dubuque: Telegraph Herald, 3 October 1980. (3 documents)

Nevans-Pederson, Mary. “Its strength builds over time.” Dubuque: Telegraph Herald, 30 December 2000.

“St. Joseph’s – Key West, Mt. Olivet Cemetery tour.” Dubuque: The Witness, 28 May 2000, p. 8.

Voight, Sandye. “Ministers on the move.” Dubuque: Telegraph Herald, 18 January 1997, p. 12A.

Voight, Sandye. “Budgeting for faith: Parishes plan accordingly.” Dubuque: Telegraph Herald, 20 January 2001.