Skip to main content

St. Ann Catholic Parish - Walker

In 1893, a school building was constructed in Walker, and on Christmas Day, 1903, the first Mass was said for the Volga German settlers living in the area. Construction of a church building was begun the following year. It was dedicated on Thanksgiving Day, 1905, to St. Ann.

A parochial school was constructed in 1924 and dedicated in August of 1925. The Sisters of St. Agnes run the school.

The following men were founders of Walker:

Zion Lutheran Church - WaKeeney (Trego Center)

Zion Lutheran Church was organized in May 1905 by a group of Volga German families living in the area of what is called Trego Center, 9 miles south of WaKeeney on Highway 283. The charter members were the families of: Christ Rohn, Friedrich Margheim, John Henry Deines, John J. Deines, John F. Deines, John J. Berschauer, Henry Schneider, Fred Dietz, George Deines, George A. Mai, Peter Mai, David Deines, Jacob Deines, J.J. Bauer, Adam Mai, and Henry Fabrizius.

Immanuel Lutheran Church - WaKeeney

Many Volga German families have been part of the history of Immanuel Lutheran Church in WaKeeney. It was first formed in 1925. During its last years, the congregation was affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).

The congregation disbanded, and the building was sold in 2021. It is now a private residence.

Location

438 N. Main
WaKeeney, KS 67672

Bethlehem Lutheran Church - WaKeeney

Bethlehem Lutheran Church was founded by Volga German families on 31 October 1897. They first met in the school house and then worshiped in the Methodist Church until 6 May 1906 when they dedicated their own church building. This building was used by the congregation until it was destroyed by fire on 14 December 1945. A new church was dedicated on 19 June 1949.

Location

338 N. 7th St.
WaKeeney, KS 67672
Telephone: 785.743.2005

St. Boniface Parish - Vincent

St. Boniface church of Vincent was organized in 1907 by a number of families from the St. Fidelis parish in Victoria. They were seeking to have a church nearer to their farms. Seven families were responsible for completing the building:

Moritz (Maurice) Baier
Lorenz Braun
Anton P. Dreiling
Bernhard (Ben) P. Huser
Michael Reichert
Valentin (Walter) Rajewski
Peter I. Weigel

From 1925 to 1969, the parish also had a school which was run by the Sisters of St. Joseph. The school building is now a private residence.

St. Fidelis Catholic Parish (Cathedral of the Plains) - Victoria

The first worship services were held at Herzog in the dwelling of A. Dreiling. A frame church was built adjoining the house, the south wall of the dwelling serving as north wall of the church. This structure was about 40x24 feet. Hon. Walter C. Maxwell, a Catholic Englishman then living south of Victoria, undertook to build a stone church for the settlers on Section 1, north of the present dwellings. In August, 1877, plans and specifications had been completed by Henry Bergsland who also received the contract.

St. Joseph Catholic Parish - Topeka

The first Catholic Volga German colonists to arrive in Topeka in 1875 were served by the Assumption Catholic Parish. A new influx of Volga German immigrants arrived in 1886 and Assumption was becoming overcrowded. In December of 1886, Bishop Louis M. Fink instructed the newly ordained Father Francis Henry to organize a German-speaking parish in Topeka. The first Mass of the new St. Joseph Parish was celebrated on 13 February 1887 in the church building of Assumption Parish.

Sacred Heart Catholic Parish - Topeka

Sacred Heart Parish grew out of the St. Joseph Parish which had been established in 1887. As St. Joseph's membership continued to grow and many parishners began to settle some distance to the east in Topeka's Oakland neighborhood, the need for another parish was discussed. In 1917, Father Henry set up a committee to raise funds for the building of a church. Bishop Ward appointed Father George Eckert as pastor to the new parish, called Sacred Heart, in May of 1919. The first Mass for the new Sacred Heart Parish was held on 1 April 1920 in Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.

Assumption Catholic Parish - Topeka

The first Volga German colonists to arrive in Topeka on 23 November 1875 were from Catholic colonies. Assumption Church was the only Catholic parish in Topeka at the time. It had been active since at least 1862 and had been established as an outpost of the Indian Mission located at what would become the town of St. Marys, Kansas. Assumption was founded by the missionaries of St. Marys.