Your Great Catholic Minnesota Road Trip: Old Crookston Cathedral, No. 3

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Old Crookston Cathedral
Ash St. at 2nd Ave., Crookston

It may be remembered by locals as the former Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception and its gorgeous stained glass windows, [and the story of its lost stained glass] but its intrigue also lies in a unique architectural component: It has three spires atop its neo-gothic facade. In a world where most churches of this style only have two towers, architect Bert Keck gave several northern Minnesota churches three. The 1912 church is one of only three still standing in Minnesota — the others are in Duluth (the old Sacred Heart Cathedral, now the Sacred Heart Music Center at 2nd Ave. W and 4th Street) and Terrebonne (St. Anthony of Padua parish in a town of that name in Red Lake County). (Unfortunately, none are used as Catholic churches today.) It’s listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Catholic Spirit