Sacred Heart Parish had moved from meeting in a home and hall prior to the Civil War, to a wooden church in 1868, to a vacant school building following the tornado, to a rock church in 1880.
Father George Hauck came to Monticello in 1913. Having overseen the building of the Sacred Heart Church at Fillmore, he was to take charge of procuring a new church in Monticello. The rock church on 7th Street was structurally fine, but its location was a source of concern. A more centrally located site was found on the northeast corner of Sycamore and Cedar Streets, our present location.
Harry Netcott of Independence made the plans for the new brick church and Anton Zwack was the builder. At a cost of $40,000, construction started July 13, 1914. The first Mass was Christmas Day the same year. The parish consisted of 65 families. The new Sacred Heart Catholic Church was dedicated June 20, 1915. In the booklet for the church’s dedication is the following:
…in years to come, future generations will have to look back and admire the strong faith and the deep love of God of the people who built the new Sacred Heart Church in 1914.