Life in Whittemore
Affordable housing, clean, safe streets and friendly people are just a few of the things that make this a great place to live and raise a family. Another important part of that good life is church and school, and Whittemore offers the best of both worlds.
St. Michael's Catholic Church
The first Catholic Mass in Whittemore was offered by Fr. Dennis McCaffrey , a resident pastor from Algona, on September 19, 1880 in the public school building. Over the next seven years, the number of settlers increased, creating the necessity for a church building. A committee was established, consisting of Whittemore pioneers Anthony Schmitt, Adam Domek, John Besch and Patrick Higgins. Under the guidance of Fr. Michael Nichols, another resident pastor from Algona, the church was completed in 1889. In 1897 Whittemore's first resident priest, Fr. P.A.R. Tierney arrived, and the following year, Rev. Edmund Lawrence Dullard received his appointment as pastor. In the short span of eighteen years, Whittemore's Catholics had gone from Mass in the public school building to a new church and full time minister, thus beginning the long tradition of faith in this community.
St. Paul's Lutheran Church
Just as faithful and strong in number are the members of St. Paul's Lutheran Church. The early immigrants found themselves isolated from their church and in much need of instruction, comfort, and encouragement. The nearest Lutheran Church was in Lotts Creek, but travel in 1884 was difficult, to say the least. The Rev. C.F.W. Maahs, the pastor at Lotts Creek, helped the Whittemore faithful organize as "The German Evangelical Lutheran of St. Paul's Congregation, U.A.C."
The original constitution was signed by citizens with last names still common in Whittemore to this day; Meyer, Bell, Bass, Schultz, and Siems, to name a few. By 1886, the members had their own pastor when Rev. Wm. Faulstich was installed, and by 1891 a new church building was dedicated.
St. Paul's congregation has continued to grow and thrive through the years, and today proudly holds services in the beautiful church building
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