St. Patrick’s, organized in 1886 under the Diocese of Dubuque to serve the growing Irish immigrant population, is the third oldest Catholic parish in Cedar Rapids and the first on the city’s West Side. Its first building was at Second Avenue SW and 7th Street SW. Soon outgrowing that building, it moved to this location into a Romanesque Revival inspired building with corner tower in 1892. The architect was J. J. Egan of Chicago who designed many Catholic churches throughout the Midwest. The church was enlarged in 1924 and again in 1951. At the same time, the interior was completely rebuilt by parishioner and local contractor William L. Lightner who worked on buildings at Mount Mercy College and other Catholic institutions.
Download this plaque (PDF format)
