10 Unique Churches to See in USA

Churches are often landmarks of fascinating history and awe-inspiring architecture.

Here are 10 such churches in 8 states well worth a visit when in the area.

All photographs were taken by me with one noted exception.

Arizona

Holy Family, Jerome

LOCATION: 101 County Rd, Jerome, AZ 86331

Holy Family Church, Jerome Az | Facebook

Holy Family is the oldest Catholic structure in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phoenix.

Iowa

Sts. Peter & Paul, West Bend

Location 206 1st Ave. NW West Bend, IA 50597
Click for Directions

Sts. Peter & Paul | Five Saints Community

Next door to the Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption.

Home – The Shrine of the Grotto of the Redemption | West Bend, Iowa (westbendgrotto.com)

World’s largest man-made Grotto and often called “eighth wonder of the world.”

Nebraska

St. Michaels, Tarnov

Location: 309 3rd Street Tarnov, NE

:: Historic St. Michaels Catholic Church in Tarnov, Nebraska ::

First Polish Catholic parish still operating in Nebraska. Opened in 1901.
Tour the museum, grotto and cemetery on the property. Call ahead for personal tour.

Holy Family Shrine, Gretna

LOCATION: 23132 Pflug Road, Gretna, NE 68028

Home Page – Holy Family Shrine

A place of respite and reflection for I-80 travelers near Omaha, NE.

Louisiana

Cathedral-Basilica Saint Louis, New Orleans

Cathedral-Basilica Saint Louis is commonly known as St. Louis Cathedral

LOCATION: 615 Pere Antoine Alley New Orleans, LA 70116

St. Louis Cathedral | New Orleans, LA

Photo taken in October 2016.
Built in 1793. Oldest cathedral in continuous use in the USA.

New York

St. Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City

Location: 460 Madison Ave, New York, 10022, NY

St. Patrick’s Cathedral | New York, NY (saintpatrickscathedral.org)

History & Heritage | St. Patrick’s Cathedral | New York, NY (saintpatrickscathedral.org)

North Dakota

Sts. Peter & Paul, Strasburg

LOCATION: 503 N 2nd St Strasburg, ND  58573-0322

emmonscatholics.org – Emmons County, ND

Built in 1910. German Russian community.

Strasburg is home to bandleader Lawrence Welk. Welk Homestead State Historic Site – State Historical Society of North Dakota (nd.gov)

South Carolina

Saint Mary of the Annunciation, Charleston

LOCATION: 95 Hasell Street Charleston, SC 29401

Saint Mary of the Annunciation – Home (sma.church)

Oldest Catholic parish in southeastern USA and where we married.
Charleston is called the “Holy City” and has array of beautiful churches. Credit: Pat Ring (RIP).

Stella Maris, Sullivan’s Island

LOCATION: 1204 Middle Street Sullivan’s Island, SC 29482
 Stella Maris Catholic Church – Charleston, SC (stellamarischurch.org)

Across the street from Fort Moultrie.
Stella Maris: Church History (catholic-doc.org)

South Dakota

St. Joseph Cathedral, Sioux Falls

Location: 521 North Duluth Avenue Sioux Falls, SD 57104

Cathedral of Saint Joseph | Sioux Falls, SD (stjosephcathedral.net)

History of the Cathedral | Cathedral of Saint Joseph | Sioux Falls, SD (stjosephcathedral.net)

Plan a church tour.

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©March 2021. Linda Leier Thomason All Rights Reserved.

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Linda Leier Thomason writes freelance business and travel stories along with feature articles. Her work experience includes a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Read more about her background and qualifications by clicking on the “Meet Linda” tab above.

11 Can’t Miss Stops off HWY 11- South Central North Dakota

trailers hwy 11Never fails! Summer flies and school bells ring.  A visit to South Central North Dakota grandparents signals the end of carefree days and return to routine.  The rich colorful beauty of ND is best seen in August. It’s true that the landscape of the state has changed drastically. The Bakken Oil Fields out west have whipped North Dakota into a frenzy even on the eastern two-lane highways as manufactured housing is trucked in to meet temporary population demands in the oil area, annoying native drivers accustomed to wide open prairies. Don’t let all the noise about Western ND prevent you from experiencing these 11 stops off Highway 11 in South Central ND. Take a camera.  Pull over. Breathe. Preserve the stillness. Commit the beauty to memory. Here You Go!

cattle hwy 11#1. Agriculture is the #1 industry in ND. Cruising wharvest hwy 11est on HWY 11 from 281 North, stop and appreciate the livestock, the Hay hwy 11sunflower fields and harvesting.

#2. Wishek Sausage. Stan’s SuperValu, a family owned and operated neighborhood grocery store in Wishek, ships product to 48 states. In a city of under 1000, Stan’s is a destination stop for those craving the secret ingredients in Wishek sausage.

#3. CC Photo Hwy 11Golf in Napoleon. Take a detour on HWY 3 North off HWY 11 outside of Wishek, grab the clubs and hit the links on this 9-hole regulation course with well-kept greens.

#4. Spend the night at the HWY 11Broken Bell Inn. You will get a great night’s sleep in cozy cabins furnished with modern-day amenities. On the way back to HWY 11, going south out of Napoleon, stop at the #5. White Maid and order one of the most unique items on the tasty menu-a crunch cone. At lunchtime, savor the traditional German homemade knoefla soup.

#6. Visit Hague, population 91, on Strudel Day (Thursday) and lunch at the city owned Hague Cafe. hague hwy 11This small building draws large daily lunch crowds. On Thursday’s one chooses either a half or full plate of light and flavorful strudel generously covered with a cream sauce, along with either baked chicken or sausage. A must-eat-at when craving German Russian homemade cooking. Read the Bismarck Tribune Story on Hague Cafe.

#7. Hague’s St. Mary’s Catholic Church is an ideal post lunch visit. hague church hwy 11One can sit and pray or walk the vast space of this 1930’s structure-the oldest continuous German Russian Catholic Parish in North Dakota.

West of Hague, detour north on HWY 83 to Strasburg, ND-the birthplace of Lawrence Welk boasts just over 500 citizens. Be sure to stop in and visit #8. The Little German House-a gift shop featuring retail hwy 11North Dakota and German themed items with owners who allow you to browse at leisure. Call ahead for hours; don’t miss the experience.

#9. Welk Park and Swimming Pool. Perfect for those needing to stretch their legs with a refreshing walk or plunge in the pool. The park has playground equipment, picnic benches and camper hook-ups.

#10. Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church. The U.S. National Register of Historic Places (1986) church is open year-round for visitors. It was built in 1910 to serve German Russian immigrants and to this date remains one of the most visually appealing places of worship I have visited.church hwy 11

#11. Lawrence Welk’s Birthplace. The boyhood home of the famous “Champagne Music Maker” band leader includes a sod house where Welk was born in 1903, a summer kitchen, barn, buggy house, granary, and blacksmith shop. MINOLTA DIGITAL CAMERAHours are limited so check in advance.

If you’ve traveled  HWY 11 in South Central North Dakota, what other stops did you make? Did you try the German Russian food? Do share.

Need more ND travel tips? Visit North Dakota Tourism.

Linda Leier Thomason is a former CEO who writes freelance business and travel stories, along with feature articles. Her work experiences include a Fortune 500 corporation, federal government, entrepreneurship and small business. Find out more about Linda by clicking the “Meet Linda” tab above. Interested in working together? Complete this form below.

Copyright August 2015 Linda Leier Thomason