Located on the very east end of town, with a great view of the rolling Flint Hills beyond, the very modest St. John Catholic Church in Hamilton, Kansas is evidence of a parish that has always been small, but faithful.
It appears that both the parish and church building trace their origins to the same year of 1898. The building was little more than a roof over worshipers' heads, and improvements to the structure came slowly over the years. Most dramatically, the nave was lengthened by ten feet in 1912 in order to accommodate a confessional. The discovery of oil in the area brought a brief influx of parishioners and resulted in an unusually large confirmation class of 20 in 1928.
Evidently, the church building was once topped by a small tower, which was removed sometime after 1938. At this same time, the interior was also thoroughly refurbished.
As a side note, I didn't have a chance to visit Holmes Sundry, but I wish that I had!
Bibliography
Mary K. Peltzer and Fr. Michael Peltzer, editors. The Catholic Diocese of Wichita Commemorates Its First 100 Years. Topeka, KS: Jostens Publications, 1987.
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