St. Joseph's Catholic Church
US-52
Balfour, McHenry County, North Dakota 58712
US-52
Balfour, McHenry County, North Dakota 58712
The town of Balfour was started in 1899 on land homesteaded by Patrick B. O'Hara. The town was named by the Soo Line Railroad officials in honor of Lord Balfour, Prime Minister of Ireland.
From 1905 to 1907 Balfour was a station with Mass once a month held in Pendroy's Hall by Father John Beuhler of Harvey or Father Walker of Devils Lake. They were ministering to about twenty-five Catholics of mostly Irish and some German descent.
In 1906 Father Buehler supervised the building of the church which was completed in 1907 at a cost of $3,100. Patrick O'Hara donated the land for the church which had a seating capacity of about 150 people.
In 1908 St. Joseph's was assigned to Anamoose where Father Zumbusch was pastor. The Mission at Balfour continued to have only one Mass a month with Father Zumbusch coming from Anamoose by train. In 1925 it was assigned to Velva where Father Duffy was pastor and services were improved to a Mass every other Sunday with a possible third Mass if the month had five Sundays. In 1934 Father Gerard O'Donahue came and services gradually increased to weekly services and some Holy Days.
In 1941 St. Joseph's was assigned to Drake and in 1950 to Blumenfeld. In July 1953 Father Ulric Proeller came to serve Blumenfeld and Balfour. He was a builder and bush pilot and a very determined man. Under his hand St. Joseph's got a different church. St. John's from Verendrye was moved, set on a lull basement and two wings were added, one for the Sacristy and the other a 'crying room'. The basement received a fully equipped kitchen.
Church was opened for Easter Sunday Mass in 1957 with Casper Volk as organist and choir master. He had about a fourth of the parishioners in the choir so the new St. Joseph's of Balfour got off to a rousing start.
In 1962 Balfour was again assigned to Drake and Father Axtman instituted C.C.D. classes and readers to read parts of the Mass. The church was again renovated and redecorated and on May 12, 1979, Bishop Driscoll offered the dedication Mass. As everywhere, the population declines but St. Joseph's continues to thrive with a mass every Sunday and Holy Day and a mid-week evening service.
Information – McHenry County: Its History and Its People (page 87)
From 1905 to 1907 Balfour was a station with Mass once a month held in Pendroy's Hall by Father John Beuhler of Harvey or Father Walker of Devils Lake. They were ministering to about twenty-five Catholics of mostly Irish and some German descent.
In 1906 Father Buehler supervised the building of the church which was completed in 1907 at a cost of $3,100. Patrick O'Hara donated the land for the church which had a seating capacity of about 150 people.
In 1908 St. Joseph's was assigned to Anamoose where Father Zumbusch was pastor. The Mission at Balfour continued to have only one Mass a month with Father Zumbusch coming from Anamoose by train. In 1925 it was assigned to Velva where Father Duffy was pastor and services were improved to a Mass every other Sunday with a possible third Mass if the month had five Sundays. In 1934 Father Gerard O'Donahue came and services gradually increased to weekly services and some Holy Days.
In 1941 St. Joseph's was assigned to Drake and in 1950 to Blumenfeld. In July 1953 Father Ulric Proeller came to serve Blumenfeld and Balfour. He was a builder and bush pilot and a very determined man. Under his hand St. Joseph's got a different church. St. John's from Verendrye was moved, set on a lull basement and two wings were added, one for the Sacristy and the other a 'crying room'. The basement received a fully equipped kitchen.
Church was opened for Easter Sunday Mass in 1957 with Casper Volk as organist and choir master. He had about a fourth of the parishioners in the choir so the new St. Joseph's of Balfour got off to a rousing start.
In 1962 Balfour was again assigned to Drake and Father Axtman instituted C.C.D. classes and readers to read parts of the Mass. The church was again renovated and redecorated and on May 12, 1979, Bishop Driscoll offered the dedication Mass. As everywhere, the population declines but St. Joseph's continues to thrive with a mass every Sunday and Holy Day and a mid-week evening service.
Information – McHenry County: Its History and Its People (page 87)