Holy Rosary Catholic Church
304 3rd Ave. West
Bisbee, Towner County, North Dakota 58317
304 3rd Ave. West
Bisbee, Towner County, North Dakota 58317
Holy Rosary Catholic Church
Bisbee, North Dakota
1889-1989
As early as 1889 Catholic settlers in the area were served by an occasional priest. They traveled through from Devils Lake to the Turtle Mountains, so Mass was offered in peoples sod homes, school or wherever convenient. They traveled by horseback, horse and buggy, or mule to reach their territories.
In 1899 a meeting was held on the first Sunday in October to discuss the building of a church. Because actions were taken on the day when the feast of the Holy Rosary is kept, that name was given to the church.
We remained a Mission church until 1949 when Fr. John P. Axtman became the first resident pastor.
The original church burned in October 1949. The present church and rectory were completed in 1951 and dedicated in June 1952.
With grateful hearts we acknowledge the dedication of early priests and settlers who established a mission here, despite all the hardships they endured.
Inf from - back of Holy Rosary Catholic Church
Bisbee, North Dakota
1889-1989
As early as 1889 Catholic settlers in the area were served by an occasional priest. They traveled through from Devils Lake to the Turtle Mountains, so Mass was offered in peoples sod homes, school or wherever convenient. They traveled by horseback, horse and buggy, or mule to reach their territories.
In 1899 a meeting was held on the first Sunday in October to discuss the building of a church. Because actions were taken on the day when the feast of the Holy Rosary is kept, that name was given to the church.
We remained a Mission church until 1949 when Fr. John P. Axtman became the first resident pastor.
The original church burned in October 1949. The present church and rectory were completed in 1951 and dedicated in June 1952.
With grateful hearts we acknowledge the dedication of early priests and settlers who established a mission here, despite all the hardships they endured.
Inf from - back of Holy Rosary Catholic Church
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HOLY ROSARY CATHOLIC CHURCH
The Catholic religion had its beginnings here in 1888, after the Great Northern Branch line was built.
Priests traveled through from Devils Lake to the Turtle Mountains, from both directions, so Mass was offered in people's sod homes, schools, or wherever convenient. The priests traveled by horse and buggy to reach their territories. When Father Wehrle came to Devils Lake in 1888, he opened up a series of missions and stations. The Martin Considine home, five miles southeast of Bisbee, and the Joseph Irmen home, two miles south of Bisbee, had services at this time. The Irmen family members composed the choir. Assisting Father Wehrle at times were Father Evans and Father Bonaventure. Services were held every month.
As attendance became larger, services were held at the Bisbee Schoolhouse. Catholic ladies carried all the necessary articles from their homes and removed them afterward. One or two other denominations also used the school, and sometimes one had to wait for the other to finish their services before the building was available to them.
By 1899, there were 30 Catholic families within 15 miles. A meeting was called at the schoolhouse on the first Sunday of October to discuss the building of a church. A plan was made to raise the money necessary; and because these actions were taken when the feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated, that name was given to the church.
Taking an active interest in soliciting subscriptions and erecting the first church were Joe Irmen, John Kelly, Theodore Gores, S. J. Ley, Fridolin Bursinger and others, under the direction of Father Arnold.
That same fall, the contract was let for the erection of the church building, which was completed during the winter of 1899-1900 at a cost of about $1,600. The ground upon which the church was built was a 100x140-foot lot in the center of town, donated by H. V. Haskamp. Grounds for the cemetery situated about a half-mile northwest of town consisted of one acre purchased for $50.
Nearly all of the first Catholics to settle in this locality were of very moderate means, some of them being very poor. It may be said to the credit of all of them that they contributed towards the building of the church with an evident good will and to the extent possible within their means.
During the first year after the building of the church, common wood benches were used for pews. The church had a seating capacity of about 175 people. In the year 1901, good pews were installed and a bell and organ purchased. A fixed price was determined for the pews, and they were rented annually. Those who were unable to rent pews were accommodated free of charge. The pastor's salary, as well as other expenses, were paid from the revenues derived in this way.
Pastors serving Holy Rosary Church in the early 1900’s were: Revs. Joseph Thuille, Justus Schwizer, 1902-03; Leo Kaufman, 1903-04; Edward Kenny, 1904-10; M. M. Corry, 1910-17; John Garland, 1917-21; William Mulloy, 1921-25; James Corkery, 1925- 29; and Frank Nestor, 1929-40.
To be sure he could be at Bisbee for Sunday Mass, Fr. Nestor built a homemade version of a snow plane powered with a gasoline-engine-driven airplane propeller. This was his transportation between Cando and his Bisbee mission in winters of heavy snow. Popular Mechanix magazine even ran a feature on this.
Fr. Nestor's sisters, members of the Sisters of St. Joseph, came each summer to help with catechism classes. Sisters continued to come each summer to teach for two weeks through the early 1960's.
Rev. Matthew Hart came to Cando in 1940 and was also pastor of the Bisbee mission. Minutes of parish meetings show that he led the parish to build up the reserve funds so that one day a new church could be built in Bisbee. He remained on in Cando; but in July 1949, Rev. John P. Axtman became the first resident pastor in Bisbee.
There was no rectory in Bisbee, so arrangements were made to have Fr. Axtman stay in one room at the Harry Pung residence. This served as the rectory for three years.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church of Rock Lake became a mission of Holy Rosary Church with the coming of Father Axtman.
On October 19, 1949, the church burned to the ground, a complete loss. Plans were immediately made to rebuild and on November 5, 1950, the cornerstone for the new church was laid by Fr. David Boyle, chancellor of the diocese. The brick church and rectory combination were completed in 1951 and dedicated on June 23, 1952.
Rev. Erwin Zirbes became pastor in 1960 and served until 1971. While here, he had the sanctuary walls covered with gray marble and the stained-glass windows installed.
Rev. William Crane served from 1971 until 1975, when he retired because of illness. Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hansboro became a mission of Holy Rosary Church during this time.
Rev. Edward Sherman followed Father Crane as pastor in 1975 and served until 1985, when he resigned due to poor health. Holy Rosary Church was served by neighboring priests until the appointment of Father Julian Kupisz in 1986.
The Holy Rosary Altar Society has played an important role in parish activities. They contributed many thousands of dollars toward the building fund and completely furnished the rectory and kitchen when the new church was finished. The Altar Society holds an annual fall supper and various other activities to raise funds for many of the parish causes.
Many men of the parish belong to the Cando-Bisbee-Rock Lake Knights of Columbus.
In 1983, Holy Rosary Church became the first church in the Fargo Diocese to have a handbell choir, when a two-octave set of handbells were purchased with donations from parish members.
Info from - Bisbee: A History of Its People and Events (Pages 22 & 23)
The Catholic religion had its beginnings here in 1888, after the Great Northern Branch line was built.
Priests traveled through from Devils Lake to the Turtle Mountains, from both directions, so Mass was offered in people's sod homes, schools, or wherever convenient. The priests traveled by horse and buggy to reach their territories. When Father Wehrle came to Devils Lake in 1888, he opened up a series of missions and stations. The Martin Considine home, five miles southeast of Bisbee, and the Joseph Irmen home, two miles south of Bisbee, had services at this time. The Irmen family members composed the choir. Assisting Father Wehrle at times were Father Evans and Father Bonaventure. Services were held every month.
As attendance became larger, services were held at the Bisbee Schoolhouse. Catholic ladies carried all the necessary articles from their homes and removed them afterward. One or two other denominations also used the school, and sometimes one had to wait for the other to finish their services before the building was available to them.
By 1899, there were 30 Catholic families within 15 miles. A meeting was called at the schoolhouse on the first Sunday of October to discuss the building of a church. A plan was made to raise the money necessary; and because these actions were taken when the feast of the Holy Rosary is celebrated, that name was given to the church.
Taking an active interest in soliciting subscriptions and erecting the first church were Joe Irmen, John Kelly, Theodore Gores, S. J. Ley, Fridolin Bursinger and others, under the direction of Father Arnold.
That same fall, the contract was let for the erection of the church building, which was completed during the winter of 1899-1900 at a cost of about $1,600. The ground upon which the church was built was a 100x140-foot lot in the center of town, donated by H. V. Haskamp. Grounds for the cemetery situated about a half-mile northwest of town consisted of one acre purchased for $50.
Nearly all of the first Catholics to settle in this locality were of very moderate means, some of them being very poor. It may be said to the credit of all of them that they contributed towards the building of the church with an evident good will and to the extent possible within their means.
During the first year after the building of the church, common wood benches were used for pews. The church had a seating capacity of about 175 people. In the year 1901, good pews were installed and a bell and organ purchased. A fixed price was determined for the pews, and they were rented annually. Those who were unable to rent pews were accommodated free of charge. The pastor's salary, as well as other expenses, were paid from the revenues derived in this way.
Pastors serving Holy Rosary Church in the early 1900’s were: Revs. Joseph Thuille, Justus Schwizer, 1902-03; Leo Kaufman, 1903-04; Edward Kenny, 1904-10; M. M. Corry, 1910-17; John Garland, 1917-21; William Mulloy, 1921-25; James Corkery, 1925- 29; and Frank Nestor, 1929-40.
To be sure he could be at Bisbee for Sunday Mass, Fr. Nestor built a homemade version of a snow plane powered with a gasoline-engine-driven airplane propeller. This was his transportation between Cando and his Bisbee mission in winters of heavy snow. Popular Mechanix magazine even ran a feature on this.
Fr. Nestor's sisters, members of the Sisters of St. Joseph, came each summer to help with catechism classes. Sisters continued to come each summer to teach for two weeks through the early 1960's.
Rev. Matthew Hart came to Cando in 1940 and was also pastor of the Bisbee mission. Minutes of parish meetings show that he led the parish to build up the reserve funds so that one day a new church could be built in Bisbee. He remained on in Cando; but in July 1949, Rev. John P. Axtman became the first resident pastor in Bisbee.
There was no rectory in Bisbee, so arrangements were made to have Fr. Axtman stay in one room at the Harry Pung residence. This served as the rectory for three years.
Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church of Rock Lake became a mission of Holy Rosary Church with the coming of Father Axtman.
On October 19, 1949, the church burned to the ground, a complete loss. Plans were immediately made to rebuild and on November 5, 1950, the cornerstone for the new church was laid by Fr. David Boyle, chancellor of the diocese. The brick church and rectory combination were completed in 1951 and dedicated on June 23, 1952.
Rev. Erwin Zirbes became pastor in 1960 and served until 1971. While here, he had the sanctuary walls covered with gray marble and the stained-glass windows installed.
Rev. William Crane served from 1971 until 1975, when he retired because of illness. Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Hansboro became a mission of Holy Rosary Church during this time.
Rev. Edward Sherman followed Father Crane as pastor in 1975 and served until 1985, when he resigned due to poor health. Holy Rosary Church was served by neighboring priests until the appointment of Father Julian Kupisz in 1986.
The Holy Rosary Altar Society has played an important role in parish activities. They contributed many thousands of dollars toward the building fund and completely furnished the rectory and kitchen when the new church was finished. The Altar Society holds an annual fall supper and various other activities to raise funds for many of the parish causes.
Many men of the parish belong to the Cando-Bisbee-Rock Lake Knights of Columbus.
In 1983, Holy Rosary Church became the first church in the Fargo Diocese to have a handbell choir, when a two-octave set of handbells were purchased with donations from parish members.
Info from - Bisbee: A History of Its People and Events (Pages 22 & 23)