Church of St. Hubertus
A Landmark of Chanhassen History in Jeopardy
The Historic Church of St. Hubertus was built in 1887, and is the oldest building in Chanhassen still in its original location. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982, noted as being significant for its strong associations with the platting and settlement of the German Catholic community of Chanhassen. As noted in our About page, preserving the Historic St. Hubert Church is part of our founding mission.
The fate of the church is now in question. Years of disuse have left the building in disrepair. It is in need of restoration if it is to be reused as a place for gatherings of any kind. The St. Hubert Parish is in the process of making a decision. Town hall meetings were held with community members, and most recently a survey was sent to parishioners and the wider Chanhassen Community. 1,289 people responded to the survey, and the majority indicated they would like to see the church restored in some fashion. Respondents indicated they would contribute $2.14 million to restoration. However, this falls short of the $2.5-$3.9 million restoration estimates.
With the parish weighing other projects related to their current building, it is unclear if they will choose to restore the historic church. The next step in the process is further deliberations among the parish council, as well as with City of Chanhassen Leadership, before a final decision is announced in the coming months.
Know that we at the Chanhassen Historical Society are doing what we can to save hisoric church. It is our position that years of disuse and disrepair does not negate the responsibility of leaders in the parish, city, and the community as stewards of our shared history. It is incumbent upon us to save this historic landmark for future generations. If you are a citizen of Chanhassen, let our leaders know that you care about this piece of our community’s shared history.
The History of the Church, The History of the Town
Early History
From the original 1982 nomination to the National Register of Historic Places:
St. Hubert’s parish was organized around a small dispersed German Catholic settlement in 1865. In 1880, the church property was transferred from the Bishop’s ownership to the Franciscan Brotherhood with the stipulation that the land be used for “church, educational, or charitable purposes.” In 1887 the Franciscans platted the area north of the church and named the village site “St. Hubertus” after the parish. The present brick veneered church was constructed the same year the village was platted, replacing two earlier church buildings. The platted townsite was part of an effort to encourage settlers to the area, and the church’s control over the sale of town lots enabled it to both offer land to incoming settlers and to keep the community centered around the Catholic Church. In 1896, the village was incorporated as Chanhassen (named after the township) and the original plat was enlarged. Although the church’s control loosened after 1896, St. Hubert’s remained the focus of the village throughout most of its development. The history of the community is an example of the important role the Catholic Church played in the settlement of many areas of the state, although the Franciscans’ development of Chanhassen differs from the more common Catholic hamlets, which developed as loosely organized unplatted communities centering around a church, and from the highly organized colonies established by Bishop Ireland. The city of Chanhassen expanded its boundaries to encompass the entire township in 1967, and the character of the area is rapidly changing with its development as a Twin Cities suburb. St. Hubert’s provides the last surviving link to the early development and German Catholic heritage of the city.”
The church was described as follows:
“St. Hubert’s Catholic Church is located on the southeast corner of West 78th Street (formerly St. Hubert Street) and Great Plains Blvd. (MN Hwy. 101). The masonry construction and towering steeple make the structure a landmark in downtown Chanhassen. The Gothic style church was constructed in 1887 at a cost of $6,400. The building is veneered in red brick and trimmed with buff-colored Chaska brick, and measures ninety-three by thirty-five feet. Pointed stained glass Gothic windows with Chaska brick window caps occupy the five bays on the north and south facades and flank the projecting central entrance tower; a window is also located above the tower entry. A corbelled cornice, also of contrasting brick, circumvents the north, south, and west facades of the church, repeating the pointed arches of the windows. The tower faces west and features a louvered belfry and spire and is capped by a cross. Decoratively cut shingles cover the roof beneath the belfry and the roof of the spire. A pair of paneled doors with transom light in the pointed arch occupy the central entry bay. A name and date plate is located above the door. A priest’s dwelling and print shop (c.1900) (now used for church, school and office facilities) is attached to the rear of the building and is also of frame and brick veneer construction. The roof of the building is sheathed with wood shingles.
Exterior alterations are limited to the addition of a small brick vestibule on the north facade, and a small brick addition on the south facade. The basement was excavated in 1933. The interior was redecorated in 1950 but retains the altars and statuary made by John Geiser, one of the original parishoners.”
Later History
In 1978, the church was leased to the City of Chanhassen in the amount of $1 a year for 30 years. During this time, the city found tenants for the building and was responsible for maintenance. When the lease was set to expire, the City of Chanhassen opted not to renew.
The Historical Society worked tirelessly on re-use studies for the building – and held many community events there while the City of Chanhassen still maintained the lease. Alas, in August of 2009, after the lease expired, the maintenance responsibilities went back to St. Hubert’s Parish. Because of insurance issues, the building could not be used and has since fallen into further disrepair.
The Future
The future of the historic church remains uncertain. It our hope at the Chanhassen Historical Society that the church will be restored and reused, and continue to bring together our community through history.
