The First Catholic Community

St. Mary’s history reaches back to the 1850s, when Catholic families in McGregor gathered for Mass in private homes. A 1956 parish history identifies Patrick O’Brien’s home on Ann Street as one of those early meeting places. Priests from Prairie du Chien also served Catholics at McGregor’s Landing. Father Louis DeCailly performed a baptism recorded on May 7, 1857, and Father Richard Nagle began serving the area in 1858. Church Records

The First Church and School

Under Father Nagle, parishioners built a frame church on Kinney Street. His ministry extended well beyond McGregor to Catholic communities in Monona, Elkader, Postville and other nearby towns. In 1868, James McGregor donated land at the head of Main Street for church and school use, along with land for a cemetery. Father B. C. Lenihan then established a parish school staffed by Sisters of Charity from Dubuque. The school served local children for approximately 25 years, closing in 1894. 

Fire and a New Church

The first church was destroyed by fire in the late 1870s. Parishioners continued to celebrate Mass in other spaces while they planned a replacement. Work on the church at the head of Main Street began around 1880, and the building was completed in 1882 during Father Garrett Nagle’s pastorate. Another fire damaged its interior on Christmas Day in the late 1880s. The parish repaired the church and continued to worship there. ldsgenealogy.com

Parish Life Through the Years

Generations of parishioners have cared for St. Mary’s church, grounds and ministries. Father John J. Horsfeld served McGregor and Marquette from 1916 until his retirement in 1944. During Father Vernon Peters’ pastorate, St. Mary’s Hall was built. The parish marked its centennial in 1956 and celebrated 150 years of history in 2006. ​

St. Mary Today

St. Mary later became part of the Trinity Cluster with St. Patrick in Monona and St. Bridget in Postville. In July 2026, the cluster ended as the three parishes became part of the Waukon Area Pastorate. Regular weekend Mass at St. Mary ended with that change. The church remains a place of prayer for the McGregor Catholic community, including a first Saturday morning Mass and Daily Mass at 5:15 PM on Wednesdays.