Aerial view from the southwest, showing the church, rectory and school. A foundation hole has been dug for the convent building. To the west, most homes and businesses have been razed to make way for construction of Interstate 94.
Aerial view from the southwest, showing the rectory and school buildings. Taken before construction of Interstate 94, so shows homes and businesses in surrounding neighborhood.
Schools in North-central Minnesota (1871-1909). Eden Valley was platted in 1886 when the St. Paul, Minneapolis and Sault Ste. Marie Railroad Company laid their tracks through the area, Eden Valley developed rather rapidly. By 1901 three Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph went there to teach in temporary classrooms until the new parochial school was completed in 1902. Eventually the enrollment peaked at 310 with 8 sisters teaching at the Assumption School. Watkins The same year, the neighboring town of Watkins was platted along the same railroad. By 1907 the Catholic parish, St. Anthony's, in Watkins was large enough to build its own parochial school. The Benedictine sisters from St. Joseph were invited to teach there and the school soon realized an enrollment of 200 pupils. In subsequent years, the school developed to a peak of 321 students and for some years included high school classes (Saint Benedict's Monastery Archives, Olsenius, page 137).
The vested Basilica Boys' Choir stands and sings carols before the 5:00 a.m. Mass on Christmas morning. Choir director and organist George Bussman plays a small portable organ just outside the sacristy rail. Boys pictured include: Tommy Hendricks, Martin Strong, Tom Bennett, Danny Stone, and Laird Miller.
View from Hennepin Avenue of the church, hung with banners for the Ninth National Eucharistic Congress on the day of its Consecration. Father Hennepin Memorial is obscured by a tree.
Front exterior is hung with multiple banners. A number of Congress events were held at the church, and rector Father James M. Reardon was General Chairman of the event.
Church and rectory seen through trees along 16th Street North. Noted on reverse by the rector, "The New Look" - probably refers to recent work cleaning the stone and retuckpointing.
Panoramic photograph of the students of the Basilica School, grades 1 through 8. The children are posed on the south side steps of the school building.
Mass celebrating the Basilica being named Co-Cathedral of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. At center behind forward altar, Archbishop Leo Binz, flanked by Father Colbert and Father Gormely.
Interior view of sanctuary during Consecration Mass of the Basilica of Saint Mary. Banners for the Ninth National Eucharistic Congress bedeck the pillars and baldachin.
Exterior view of the St. Mary's Parish School with children in front of the building. They are posed with pastor, Reverend Ansgar Osendorf, Order of Saint Benedict (OSB).