History of Mary Queen of Heaven Mission Church

[Used on Program for Liturgy
of the Blessing of the Church, June 20, 2000]

Brief History of
Mary Queen of Heaven
Catholic Church in Chugwater
(formerly the Church of St. Theresa the Little Flower)

The name, “Chugwater,” is explained by a popular legend. Once upon a time an Indian known as “The Dreamer” was being lazy and dreamed how much easier it would be to stampede a herd of buffalo over the crumbly chalk cliffs than to stalk them on foot with spears and arrows. And when the buffalo hit the ground, they went “chug!” from the impact, or from the bursting of their bellies. The creek and place were called “where the buffalo go chug,” hence “Chugwater.”

The town of Chugwater was laid out in 1886 as the headquarters of the immense Swan Land and Cattle Company (controlled 750,000 acres from Ogallala to Rawlins), the largest ranch of many which settlers founded since the winter of 1858-1859. In the 1870s Chugwater was a stage station on the Cheyenne-Deadwood Stagecoach Line, replaced by the railroad in the 1880s. Dry land farmers began settling east of Chugwater in the early 1900s.

The Eucharist was celebrated in Chugwater first in private homes, the hotel, and later at the Chugwater school by itinerant priests who came earliest on horseback, later by railroad. From 1910-1970 Chugwater was served by the Conventual Franciscan Friars, called “Black Franciscans” from the color of their habit. The Franciscans, based in Douglas, served twelve churches in a parish covering 10,000 square miles. A friar-priest would come to Chugwater once a month by train on Saturday to say Mass, stay overnight, then return north to offer Mass on Sunday in Wheatland. Since the 1930s Mass was celebrated on Sunday mornings, except 1975-1982 when no priest was available. After 1942 the pastor resided in Wheatland.

The old Catholic Church of Chugwater, St. Theresa of Lisieux, the “Little Flower of Jesus,” was established in 1924 when Franciscan Father Theodore paid $125 for a school house located south of Chugwater in the Little Bear area. One of the early teachers was Bertha Ewart, aunt of Francis Gard. The back half of the old church was the original building; in 1926, the size of the building was doubled when the men of the parish, including Homer Gard, extended the sanctuary to the dimensions it retained until 2000 when the old church building was given to the town of Chugwater to further serve as a library and as itself, a museum. In 1958 Wayne and Bessie Cave donated the property for the church.

The new church, blessed under the title of Mary Queen of Heaven by Bishop Joseph Hart on June 20, 2000, was built in 1999-2000 by David McGuire of Chugwater with the architect Roger Baalman of Laramie. The church building was made possible by a very generous donation through The Catholic Church Extension Society and a substantial contribution from the Church of St. Patrick in Wheatland. Members of the Chugwater and Wheatland communities also donated work-time to complete the new church. The mahogany and redwood altar, replacing the older pine portable altar, was made by hand by Father Leonard, the last Franciscan pastor.

Jan Joseph Santich, O.S.B.

Back to INDEX		[Used on Program for Liturgy of the Blessing of the Church, June 20, 2000] Brief History of Mary Queen of Heaven Catholic Church in Chugwater (formerly the Church of St. Theresa the Little Flower) The name, “Chugwater,” is explained by a popular legend. Once upon a time an Indian known as “The Dreamer” was being lazy and dreamed how much easier it would be to stampede a herd of buffalo over the crumbly chalk cliffs than to stalk them on foot with spears and arrows. And when the buffalo hit the ground, they went “chug!” from the impact, or from the bursting of their bellies. The creek and place were called “where the buffalo go chug,” hence “Chugwater.” The town of Chugwater was laid out in 1886 as the headquarters of the immense Swan Land and Cattle Company (controlled 750,000 acres from Ogallala to Rawlins), the largest ranch of many which settlers founded since the winter of 1858-1859. In the 1870s Chugwater was a stage station on the Cheyenne-Deadwood Stagecoach Line, replaced by the railroad in the 1880s. Dry land farmers began settling east of Chugwater in the early 1900s. The Eucharist was celebrated in Chugwater first in private homes, the hotel, and later at the Chugwater school by itinerant priests who came earliest on horseback, later by railroad. From 1910-1970 Chugwater was served by the Conventual Franciscan Friars, called “Black Franciscans” from the color of their habit. The Franciscans, based in Douglas, served twelve churches in a parish covering 10,000 square miles. A friar-priest would come to Chugwater once a month by train on Saturday to say Mass, stay overnight, then return north to offer Mass on Sunday in Wheatland. Since the 1930s Mass was celebrated on Sunday mornings, except 1975-1982 when no priest was available. After 1942 the pastor resided in Wheatland. The old Catholic Church of Chugwater, St. Theresa of Lisieux, the “Little Flower of Jesus,” was established in 1924 when Franciscan Father Theodore paid $125 for a school house located south of Chugwater in the Little Bear area. One of the early teachers was Bertha Ewart, aunt of Francis Gard. The back half of the old church was the original building; in 1926, the size of the building was doubled when the men of the parish, including Homer Gard, extended the sanctuary to the dimensions it retained until 2000 when the old church building was given to the town of Chugwater to further serve as a library and as itself, a museum. In 1958 Wayne and Bessie Cave donated the property for the church. The new church, blessed under the title of Mary Queen of Heaven by Bishop Joseph Hart on June 20, 2000, was built in 1999-2000 by David McGuire of Chugwater with the architect Roger Baalman of Laramie. The church building was made possible by a very generous donation through The Catholic Church Extension Society and a substantial contribution from the Church of St. Patrick in Wheatland. Members of the Chugwater and Wheatland communities also donated work-time to complete the new church. The mahogany and redwood altar, replacing the older pine portable altar, was made by hand by Father Leonard, the last Franciscan pastor. Jan Joseph Santich, O.S.B. Back to Top