The first priest to attend to the parishoners at Pfeifer was Father Sommereisen who came toward the end of 1876. The first church built in Pfeifer was completed in 1879 and measured 28 feet by 26 feet. A new building was constructed during 1889-1890, measuring 65 feet by 40 feet.
Construction of the new post rock limestone building was begun in 1915. It was dedicated on 3 May 1918. It's central steeple soars 165 feet into the Kansas prairie, and the two side steeples each reach 100 feet high.
The parish served by Holy Cross Church was dissolved in 1993, but the building remains open to the public and is available for special events.
Location:
Sarratov St.
Pfeifer, Kansas
mailing address:
P.O. Box 5
Pfeifer, KS 67660
785.735.2395
Holy Cross Parish in Pfeifer has been served by the following priests:
Jos. Cal. Mayershofer (1878-1881)
Anthony Berger (1881)
James Muench (1882)
Andrew Eisenhut (1883)
Jos. Hardes (1884)
Ph. Brockhard (1885)
Cyril Bitter (1885-1886)
Maurus Strobel (1887)
K.T. Withopf (1887-1891)
Emmeram Kausler (1892-1893)
Crysostom Jacob (1894)
Emmeram Kausler (1895-1897)
Clement Pfeifer (1897-1898)
Jerome Mueller (1899)
Joseph L. Trageser (1900-1906)
Peter Burkard (1906-1925)
George Weber (1925-1952)
Christian Fey (1952-1954)
Gilbert Landoll (1954-1958)
Adolph Hecker (1958-1962)
Emil Sinner (1962-1965)
Basil Torrez (1965-1967)
John M. Poell (1967-)
- Transcript of The Golden Jubilee of German-Russian Settlements of Ellis and Rush Counties, Kansas, 1926.
- Laing, Francis S. "German-Russian Settlements in Ellis County, Kansas." Kansas Historical Collections 11 (1910), 489-528. [Online]
- Poell, John M. "The Cross in the Valley." 1968.
- Pfeifer, Kansas (German Capital of Kansas)
- Inside Holy Cross Church (RedBrickRoad.com)
Holy Cross Cemetery (findagrave.com)
