The U.S. Government built Fort Atkinson to protect the Ho-Chunk (Winnebago) during their removal from Wisconsin. Construction of the new fort began in May 1840 and was complete by the summer of 1842. 

The regular army turned the fort over to Iowa volunteers as the troops stationed there were needed for the Mexican-American War. Father Joseph Cretin of Dubuque had ministered to the Catholic Winnebagos at Yellow River and soon visited them at the Fort. After the Ho-Chunk were removed from Iowa, the post was abandoned on February 14, 1849. 

A mission was built southeast of Fort Atkinson along the Turkey River overlapping sections 33 and 34, where several cabins, a school and a log chapel was built by Catholic soldiers, Indians and traders.  This became known as “Old Mission” and it was by this name the early Festina parish was known. 

By 1848 and 1849 the Indians and troops were moved from the Fort Atkinson reservation to Minnesota, opening up the neutral grounds for settlement. Fort Atkinson was abandoned, but still managed by the government with caretakers until 1853 when it was sold. At the same time (1849-1849) the Old Mission buildings were abandoned.  Pioneer settlers were then allowed to move into the region. 

Pioneer families from Aldenburg, Indiana came in the spring of 1849 and used the abandoned Mission buildings as shelter until they could purchase their own land.  These families were George Beckel/Bachel (who, in 1851, became the first County Sheriff), Joseph Huber family and his father-in-law John Gartner (aka Johann Gaertner), Andrew Meyer, Anthony Stottle / Stadel, Jos. Spillman and Jacob Rausch. . 

After settling in their own homes, these families purchased a forty acre tract, to establish their church. These Catholic families selected the largest of the cabins, excluding the school, to use as a church and purchased it from the government. They then moved it to the Southwest 1/4 of the Southeast 1/4 of section 27, just south of the Turkey River and where the current St Anthony of Padua Chapel is located.  

In 1850 the Old Mission Post Office was established in the cabin that the Huber family had taken shelter in when they first arrived. This cabin was later moved to the site of St. Anthony of Padua Chapel.  The plaque reads:  “This cabin, restored in 1996, originally stood a mile southwest of the present site. It was once part of the Indian Agency and used as a dwelling by the F. J. Huber family when they arrived at Old Mission in 1849. That summer Father G. H. Plathe visited the immigrants and offered Mass in the cabin. In use by Huber descendants until 1965, the cabin was dismantled in 1993 and restored as a memorial to F. J and Mary Ann Huber” 3.

In 1854 between Christmas and New years, the small church burned and arson was suspected. All church records were lost in the fire. To prevent this from happening again and also because of frequent floods, a new log church was erected in Twin Springs (Festina), where a majority of the settlers lived. The land was set aside for the new church. The map above shows the property as St. Mary German Catholic Church (St. Mary’s – Lady of Seven Dolors) and the Catholic Cemetery. 

In 1885 John Gartner and the Joseph Huber family built what is commonly known as the “Smallest Church” but is actually St. Anthony of Padua Chapel. It was built in the location of the original log church that was destroyed by fire in 1854. John Gartner was married to Magdalin Bouillon, who is a first cousin of Elizabeth (Bouillon) Untereiner, my 2nd great grandmother. This is another interesting story you’ll find in my post St. Anthony of Padua Tiny Church.