St. Stanislaus Catholic Church

The original Catholic Church on 7th Street was dedicated June 23, 1878.  There was no resident priest or regular schedule of services.  It was a small wooden chapel costing about $2,500.  The population of the area increased steadily, and by 1912 planning for a new church and fund raising got serious.  Plans by J. J. Foley of San Francisco for a new church were accepted May 1, 1913.  James McLaughlin of San Francisco won the contract for the construction with a bid of $20,720.  The cornerstone festivities were held August 31 with band concerts, a parade, auto tours of the area, a baseball game, and the ceremony.  The Church was dedicated December 28, 1913, by Bishop Hanna of San Francisco.  A Fresno newspaper noted the interior included beautiful life-size murals on the wall and outstanding statues of St. Ann and the Madonna near the altar.

The building’s complete cost was $23,500, the fittings $4,000, pews $1,500 and the memorial window $1,000.  The Church was considered one of the finest churches of that denomination in the Valley.