| 1885/09/02 |
Union Pacific Coal Company |
History |
After dispute over coal seam, a mob of miners, many of Irish, Welsh, English and Scandinavian immigrants, lead a violent attack, killing 28 Chinese miners, then burn down 79 homes in Chinatown, remains of which may exist under the church's parking lot. |
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| 1900/00/00 |
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By 1900, 70 of the Roman Catholics in Rock Springs, primarily Croatian, Slovaks, Slovenians and Poles, live north of the Union Pacific railroad tracks. |
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| 1910/07/00 |
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The parish of Saints Cyril and Methodius is incorporated under the pastorship a Slovenian priest, Father Anton Schiffrer. By November, at the first meeting of the church trustees, the congregation consist of 2,000. |
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| 1911/00/00 |
Union Pacific Railroad |
Owner |
Saints Cyril and Methodius trustees buy three lots from the Union Pacific Company for $1,800 with the intention of building a church. |
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| 1912/07/07 |
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The cornerstone of the Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church is laid on the feast of the church's patron saints. |
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| 1920/00/00 |
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Designed in a classic bungalow style by Daniel Spani, the parish rectory is built of red brick. In the mid-1950s, an extension of a lighter brick will be erected onto the front of the building. |
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| 1924/00/00 |
Daniel D Spani |
Architect |
When $15,000 in funds, Father Schiffrer and the church trustees commission Daniel Spani to design a church. |
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| 1925/00/00 |
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The bishop of Cheyenne sets the Union Pacific railroad tracks in Rock Springs as the dividing line between Our Lady of Sorrows parish on the south and Saints Cyril and Methodius parish on the north. |
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| 1925/10/00 |
McShane Bell Foundry |
Manufacture |
Three bells (1662 lbs, 836 lbs, 544 lbs) cast in the fall by the McShane Foundry of Baltimore are installed. A 4th (275 lbs) will be added in December. The first three bells are set to intone F, A and C, no tone is set for the 4th. |
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| 1925/12/13 |
F H Cowell |
Contractor |
Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church is dedicated. Built over an existing raised basement, volunteers from the congregation donated labored to saved money. Furnishings, including stained-glass, side altars and the bells are donated. |
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| 1931/10/00 |
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Father Albin Gnedovic, a Slovenian priestwho had been ordained in Ljubljana and served at a Slovenian parish in Cleveland for six years, becoms pastor of Saints Cyril and Methodius. He will serve here for the next 42 years. |
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| 1935/10/00 |
Bishop Gregorij Rozman |
Vocation |
Bishop Gregory Rozman, Bishop of Ljubljana, makes an official visit to Saints Cyril and Methodius. |
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| 1937/00/00 |
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Father Gnedovic announces there will be three masses in Slovak, Slovenian and Croatian, to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the original cornerstone laying. Various Slavic languages will be used at the church through at least the 1940s. |
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