History

At the turn of the century, 1900, when homesteaders came to this area, there were many Catholics among them.  The Irish came from Illinois and the Germans mainly from Minnesota.  They wanted a place to practice their faith and so began the plan of having Mass in the homes. Father Malo of Elbowoods, ND was one of the first priests in this area in 1903.  At one time Father Malo stayed with N. J. Mahowald for three weeks and visited the various Catholic families.  He baptized several babies, instructed children and adults and made the acquaintance of the people.  Thus, a new parish, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Blackwater, was organized in 1904. 

On November 17, 1905 a meeting was held in Joe Reuter’s home near Garrison to consider having a church in Garrison.  Father Bonaventure Hansen, OSB, a monk from Collegeville, MN was the priest in this area.  The committee inquired about lots available in Garrison acquired several lots and committed to building a church.  With much donated labor and funding, a church was built, a frame building 60×32 at a cost of $1,970.  The first Mass was said on May 13, 1906 by Father Hansen.  He dedicated the church to St. Nicholas.

Father Hansen had about 25 mission stations in this area to oversee.  The Benedictine priests used Garrison as the center for their missionary work and needed to stay here.  A large parish house was built in 1906.  The building was made of brick with four rooms o the first floor, several bedrooms on the second floor and a turret in the southwest in the southwest corner, reaching to the third floor, with many windows.  At one time during World War II, this turret was used as an observation post for the Home Patrol.  George Mahowald spent many nights here watching for planes.
Visiting priests stayed in this large house and at times several children stayed here when they were being prepared for the sacraments.  Father Wervers, OSB, lived in Garrison from 1911 to 1923 when he attended his missions in Butte, ND; Max, ND; Douglas, ND; Ryder, ND and Plaza, ND.  The house cost $5,000.

In 1915, the parish discussed the need for a parochial school.  The first school was a two-room building, staffed by Benedictine Sisters from Elbowoods.  1n 1921 a combination school-church was built.  The new school was built of stone and cement.  It was a two-story building with the church in the semi-basement and three school rooms occupying the top floor.  There was also an office.  The parishioners hauled many rocks and poured cement for the thick walls.  Again, there was much donated labor.

When the new church school was completed, Cliff Ehlers, Joe Mahowald, Joe Reuter, Jr. and John Behles purchased the old church, moved it a block and a half to Main Street and made it into a theatre.  The Alhambre Theatre.
During the depression years not much building could be done.  Then came World War II and material was scarce.  In 1947, the parish was able to make plans for a new rectory and church.  The old brick parish house was torn down and the pastor moved into a modern rambler type house.

The present church was built in 1955.  It is an A-frame type brick building with wood accents.  Its cost was $160,000 and seats 300 people.  The basement will seat 200 and is used for dinners, meetings and CCD classes.  In 1999 sliding walls were installed, making several separate rooms for religious instruction.
Many innovations have taken place since the Second Vatican Conference.  Most of these changes have been withing the spiritual life of the church.

The Knights of Columbus and St. Ann’s Alter Society aid St. Nicholas Parish in many ways.  St. Ann’s is still functioning, having been started in 1914.  The Knights were founded in 1959.
The clergy needed relaxation and several priest had other interests.  Father Brandner was a dedicated farmer.  He raised purebred cattle and used his Belgian horses to farm, especially cutting hay.  He always wore cowboy boots.  Father Brandner was made a Monsignor in 1965.  He served Garrison for 29 years, the longest serving of any of the priests.  Fr. Ryan had a home at Strawberry Lake and loved fishing.  Several priests were golfers.

Father Francis Kalathiveettil . . . [2003-2007] . . . came from Cochin, Kerola, India.  He . . . first served at Williston, ND as assistant at the Catholic school and then coming to Garrison. [He got] used to the cooler temperatures and the cold winters [was] a challenge to him. He . . . [did] very well with the language change.
Father Terrence Carrol, OSB, was the Chaplainat the Garrison Hospital in the 1980’s.  He had worked for years among the Puerto Rican people in New Yerk City, NY and came to this area for a “restful retirement”. He lived at the hospital, helped Father Rushford at times and loved to go the . . . [Fort Berthold] Reservation to say Mass at White Shield.  He was loved by the Native American People.  He was 86 when he died.

The first Holy Mass offered for the early settlers of the Catholic faith in the Max, ND area was celebrated at the home of Mr. and Mrs. P. D. Podohla.  The Reverend Bonaventure Hanson officiated with the following families in attendance:  Frank Kohoutek, Frank Timaskevich, Theodore Wasdatsky, Leopold Paul, P. D. Podohla, Frank Malloy, Margaret Reese and Bartoskevick.  Due to the large number of congregations served by Father Hanson, the Mass was offered only twice monthly and that was during the mid-week.

The Most Reverend Vincent Wehrle [OSB], the first Bishop of the Bismarck, ND Diocese, administered Confirmation to the first class which consisted of Lucia Louise and Aloys Huettl, Margaret Alvina and Frank Kohoutek and Potentia Sophie and Joseph Timoskevich.

The first church was built on the site of the present church in 1913.  Margaret Reese donated two lots and one lot was purchased from A. A. Zethren.

The first baptisms in Max were Helen, Carl and Eva Kohoutek on March 7, 1910.  The first funeral was that of Frank Timoskevich held on August 29, 1914.

Potentia Timoskevich and Lucian Samulenok were the first to be united in marriage in the new church on November 20, 1915.

For many years the Max congregation was served as a mission from the Douglas, ND parish with Mass offered twice monthly and later weekly. Largely through the efforts of Father Eugene LaMeres, then the pastor of Holy Cross in Douglas, the Max congregation was changed from a mission to an independent parish in 1952.  The first resident pastor was Father John Lukach.

In 1953 a rectory was built under the supervision of Archie Litvinenko with labor donated by the members of the parish.  When the bishop saw fit to close the mission church of St. Adolph at Endres (southeast of Max) in order to take care of the needs of a growing membership, it was necessary to build a larger church.  This new church building was built under the supervision of Ole Hanson of Ruso, ND.  Mathias Lies of Douglas completed the finishing work and built the new alter.

Because of the imminent inundation of the Catholic Church at Elbowoods, ND by the Garrison Dam, the parish was able to purchase the church for a nominal fee and dismantle it.  Through the efforts of the parishioners, the lumber was transported by truck and used in the construction of the present building.  Bishop Lambert A. Hoch, then Bishop of the Bismarck Diocese, dedication the new church on December 6, 1954.

Father John Lukach continued to serve as pastor until the summer of 1960 when he was transferred to New Town, ND.  After Father Luckach’s departure, the parish was served by the following pastors: 

Max became a mission of Garrison on October 5, 1995.  The historical highlights of the Max Parish are as follows.  The first baptism Father Lukach came to serve the parish was that of Marlys (Huettl) Hummel.  The first baptism present church was that of Susan (Huettl) Halvorson.  Since the new church, there have been 12 baptisms, 114 received Holy Communion, 50 couples were married and 121 have been confirmed.

The first trustees in the new parish were Clem Huettl and Robert Berg. 

Written by Clarence Jacobson deceased
Submitted by Karen Huesers
Garrison Centennial History Book Through the Years 1905-2005, 80.

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