Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (October 21, 1912). An enclosed cloister walk was constructed to connect the second level of the south side of the chapel to the second level of Teresa Hall at the college. An enclosed cloister walk connecting the second level of the north side of the chapel to Marmion Hall (formation house) was also in the plans. Because later photographs show this south court area without a cloister walk, it may be assumed that the construction workers had to remove the cloister walk shown in progress in this photograph, probably to give more space for the ensuing construction work. However, photographs of early 1914 show that the enlosed north and south cloister walks were added to the chapel immediately upon the completion of the chapel.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (October 28, 1912). One week after the steel girders for the inner walls were installed, the steel supports for the stained glass windows were in place.
Preparing the cornerstone of the Sacred Heart Chapel in October 1912. With the completion of the chapel floor, the Butler Brothers construction crew prepared for the laying of the cornerstone in the area that would place it in the wall near the north side altar. The cornerstone has remained in the same position since 1912 and can be seen in today's chapel to the left of the baptismal font as you enter the great doors from the Gathering Place. On it is engraved: "AD" and "MCMXII" and a cross.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (April 21, 1913). This close-up view of construction on the dome gives some insights into the dangers of working at such heights on an open scaffolding.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (December 16, 1912). An intricate maze of support was necessary to support the roof of such a large building as the chapel. The supports allowed ample room under the roof for a "crawl space" for maintenance work.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (July 23, 1912). With the completion of the pouring of the concrete for the floor of the chapel, steam-powered pulley towers were built for lifting building materials to the next levels, an ingenious labor-saving in this early period.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (October 21, 1912). The curvature of the outer walls provided a circular "cloister walk" around the chapel proper and around the sacristies in the foreground.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (November 18, 1912). Three separate scaffoldings of varying heights were necessary to hoist materials for the completion of the three levels of Sacred Heart Chapel.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery, St. Joseph, Minnesota (May 5, 1913). The closed-in porch link on the first and second level and the open porch of the third level (roof of link) made the chapel an integral part of the convent.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (May 21, 1912). The outline of the foundation in this photo shows the extent of this new chapel. The extreme length of the chapel is 157 feet; the width of the nave 60 feet; the transept 110 feet. This view from the west also shows the proximity to Marmion Hall (upper right) and the infirmary (upper left).
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (June 14, 1912). The final contract for construction was made with the Butler Brothers from St. Paul.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel and Teresa Hall, St. Benedict's Monastery (June 17, 1912). Teresa Hall, the addition to the college, was constructed simultaneously with the chapel. Because it was located less that 100 feet from the site of the chapel, the same type of construction work could take place in both sites. However, because it was architecturally less complicated, the work on Teresa Hall progressed much more rapidly as can be noted in this photo where the walls of five levels have been completed while only the first level walls of the chapel were completed during the same period of time.
Laying of the Sacred Heart Chapel's cornerstone in October, 1912. Bishop James Trobec and celebrants bless the cornerstone. The cow barn, seen in close proximity to the chapel, was moved farther west 35 years later in 1958 along with the entire farm area.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (November 11, 1912). With the inner walls of the chapel nearly completed, this view from the roof of Teresa Hall shows the size of the chapel proper.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (June 24, 1912). Pouring the concrete ceiling of the first level of the chapel created the floor of the new chapel and prepared for the next step of erecting the walls on the second level (which is the main chapel). The two buildings in the center background are the power house and laundry (Loretto Hall). They remained in place for another seventy years and served multiple purposes.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery, (December 9, 1912). The supports for the roof were inserted into the inner walls of the chapel. Of special note is the huge circular support for the dome on the left of the photograph.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (June 10, 1912). Within a month of the laying of the foundation, the walls of the lower level of the chapel were raised. This view from the northeast shows some of the farm buildings at the left of the water tower that still needed to be razed or moved farther west.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (April 14, 1913). The dome, the link between the chapel to the convent, and the south cloister walk connecting the chapel to Teresa Hall were constructed simultaneously. This photo is taken from the roof of Teresa Hall and gives a clear view of the circular cloister walk that surrounds the chapel.
Construction of Sacred Heart Chapel, St. Benedict's Monastery (January 7, 1913). The steel supports of the dome were even more intricate than those for the roof. It included supports for eight stained glass windows. The smaller circular support to the left was for a stain-glass window above the main altar apse. Here, the Kilmer family's donation of the "Holy Spirit" stained glass, circular window was installed in 1935.