St. Peter in Mendota is the cradle of the Catholic Church in the
state of Minnesota. Located at the confluence of the Mississippi
and Minnesota Rivers, this was the site of the first permanent Catholic presence in the area.
From the parish’s founding in April 1840 until late 1842, Fr. Lucien Galtier celebrated Mass in
his Mendota home on the bank of the Minnesota River until he completed the construction
of St. Peter’s original log chapel in October 1842. In 1853, pioneer priest Fr. Augustine Ravoux
built the present stone church that sits on the hill overlooking the two rivers. The stone church
has been in use since 1853.
When St. Peter’s School closed in 1972, a portion of that space was converted into a worship
space to allow the stone church to be repaired. This space was used for parish Masses until a
beautiful, modern church was completed in 2005 to accommodate the growing community.
Today, the historic Church and the main Church share a common outdoor gathering space,
symbolizing the parish’s rich history and the dynamic, hopeful future.