History of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Parish
From the earliest settlement of the town of Eastman, those of the the Roman Catholics have held services. The earliest record shows that a priest came from La Crosse and established a mission in 1847. The mission was placed under the direction of Father Lucien Galtier of St. Gabriel's in Prairie du Chien for several years. Later it was a mission of St. John Nepomucene Bohemian Church.
In 1856 ten Catholic families lived in Eastman. It is a historical fact that the Holy Sacrifice of Mass had been offered in private homes prior to the time the first church was built. In the year 1873 Frank Honslik & John Rohlik donated 4 acres of land south of the village of Eastman for a church site. The Church was in construction for 10 years. The first Mass was held June 15, 1884. The first Rectory was built in 1898, and burned in 1916, rebuilt in 1917. In the history of the church there were 2 fires; July 1906 a lightning bolt started a fire that gutted the building. The congregation rebuilt and a second fire destroyed the church on Christmas Day 1917, leaving only the original stone walls. The present church was constructed immediately following the fire, utilizing what remained of the original stone structure. Mass was held Christmas Day, 1918. (Eastman Village, Town and Area, published 1969).
Hover over the pictures to read more.
