St. Peter's Chapel - Milwaukee

 

My great, great grandfather, Joseph Schussler,  and great, great grandmother, Fanny Neukirch (daughter of pioneer Franz),  were married here in 1848.  I would like to make a pilgrimage to Old World Wisconsin to see it.  This also interests me because Solomon Juneau had donated the land.  The Solomon Juneau Theresa/Mayvillle Husting -  Milwaukee connections are some of my favorite strands of local history, and here it touches my own family.  The old French Canadian Fur Trader, Juneau,  was also much loved and respected by the Native Americans in the Green Bay area. 

Photo credit: UW-Milwaukee

St. Peter's Chapel was built in 1839, and originally stood on the northwest corner of Jackson and State Street. It was the first Catholic church in Milwaukee, built on land donated by Solomon Juneau. In 1874, the chapel was sold to Saints Peter and Paul Parish, and moved to a location at Murray and Bradford Avenue. When that parish eventually built a larger church in 1939 the chapel was moved to the St. Francis Seminary. In 1975 the chapel was moved to Old World Wisconsin in Eagle, WI.  

I thank Kristine Kampa and the Milwaukee History Lovers FB page for posting this history and picture.