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According to legend, in 1869, Father Phillip Colleton
was caught at this site by a furious hail and thunderstorm.
The frightened priest took refuge under his
saddle and vowed that if his life was spared, he would
build a church on this spot. The fervent promise resulted
in the establishment of St. Aloysius, Greenbush.
The first Catholic Church erected in Crawford County was
a wooden frame structure completed in 1871. Located on
the Historic "Mission Road", the church was destroyed
by a storm in 1877. Parishoners quarried limestone from
Hickory Creek and completed the second church in 1881.
The first resident pastor, Father F. M. Verdan, arrived
in 1882 and served the church for fifty years. A larger
church was needed and completed in 1907. The 1881
church was converted into a community building. The
third church stood for 75 years as a landmark before
it was struck by lightning and burned in 1982. The ruins
remain. The 1881 church was renovated into a place of
worship. Thus the second church became the fourth church
on March 9, 1986 and served the people until it
closed in 1993. Father Colleton's promise will continue.
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