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 This
historic site represents a significant and important part of Washington
County’s heritage.
The site will serve to promote an educational program that will
bring a better understanding and appreciation of the County’s history,
heritage, and natural environment.
Located in Barton, three of the original buildings, the convent and
school, the stone barn, and the house, remain standing today.
Built around 1856 by Father Rehrl, the
 structure which housed the
convent, the chapel, and the school had been converted into a modern home.
Father Rehrl also built a two story home in 1858 and a stone barn
in 1878.
It is hoped that the three buildings will be preserved as a
historic site and opened for tours in the next few years.
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Excerpts
from “A History of the Village of Barton” by Richard H. Driessel
explain the history of St. Agnes Convent:
“Reverend Casper Rehrl was a pioneer Catholic missionary who
founded St. Agnes Convent and the Immaculate Conception Congregation.
He was born in Austria in 1809 and came to New Orleans in 1845 on
his way to Fond du Lac. He
traveled up the Mississippi and Illinois Rivers, to Chicago by stage
coach, to Milwaukee by boat, and to Fond du Lac on foot.
From there he served congregations in Fond du Lac, Brown,
Sheboygan, Calumet, and Dodge Counties.
By 1855, Bishop John Martin Henni was deeply concerned with the
needs of his large diocese and the rapidly growing immigrant population.
On the request of Bishop Henni, Father Rehrl went to Washington
County to serve twelve congregations there and the surrounding counties.
He decided to make Barton his headquarters; he bought the former
Barton Salisbury home and land which included 40 acres of woodland, 20
acres of farmland, and a two story frame house.
By 1856, he founded the convent and School of the Sisters of St.
Agnes and constructed a stone building to house the sisters and serve as a
school and chapel. He also
build a two story house for his home in 1858, an addition to the convent
some time before 1870, and a stone barn in 1878.
He founded the Immaculate Conception congregation in 1857, a brick
church was built, and Father Rehrl conducted the first services on
Christmas of that year. When
Father Rehrl settled in Baron he was determined to provide education to
the children without regard to religious belief or ability to pay.
He founded the Sisters of St. Agnes to train teachers.
He did succeed in starting the first school conducted on a regular
basis in the village. We do
not know how many Sisters were in the convent nor how many children were
in the school at its largest, although in 1860 there were 18 students, and
the U.S. census of 1870 lists 21 Catholic Sisters as well as 5
“scholars” in residence. In
1880 there were five sisters in the Society of St. Agnes in Barton even
though the Society is believed to have moved to Fond du Lac in 1870.”
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The St. Agnes Historic
Site is located at 1386 Fond du Lac Street, West Bend. The property
is next to a blue water tower!
Driving
Directions:
From the Appleton/Fond du
Lac/Oshkosh area: Take US 41-South to State 33 East; then take
33-East to West Bend; at 7th Avenue (fire station/traffic light) turn left
onto 144; at the next set of traffic lights turn left onto Barton Avenue;
turn right onto Fond du Lac Street.
From the Madison area:
Take I-94 to US 45-North (Follow Fond du Lac city signs); then take
45-North to West Bend- State 33 East exit and turn right; at
7th Avenue (fire station/traffic light) turn left onto 144; at the next
set of traffic lights turn left onto Barton Avenue; turn right onto Fond
du Lac Street.
From the
Chicago/Kenosha/Racine area: Take I-94 North to I-894; then take
I-894 to US 45-North (Follow Fond du Lac city signs); then take 45-North
to West Bend- State 33 East exit and turn right; at
7th Avenue (fire station/traffic light) turn left onto 144; at the next
set of traffic lights turn left onto Barton Avenue; turn right onto Fond
du Lac Street.
From the Milwaukee
(downtown/east side) area: Take 43 North to State 33-West (Port
Saukville exit; this exit goes into West Bend); cross the Milwaukee River
and turn right at 7th Avenue (fire station/traffic light); at the next set
of traffic lights turn left onto Barton Avenue; turn right onto Fond du
Lac Street.
From the
Janesville/Beloit area:
Take 43 to I-894; then take I-894 to US 45-North (Follow Fond du Lac city
signs); take 45-North to West Bend- State 33 East exit and turn right; at
7th Avenue (fire station/traffic light) turn left onto 144; at the next
set of traffic lights turn left onto Barton Avenue; turn right onto Fond
du Lac Street.
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