Prior to the March, 1946, dedication of Saint Elizabeth Church, the needs of Catholics in the area (and there were only a few) were met by occasional Masses in private homes. Bishop Edwin O'Hara decided that there should be a Catholic church in each county in the diocese. The acquisition of two lots on Main Street in El Dorado Springs (for about $300) and construction of building of similar design in those "vacant" counties, including here, marked the fruition of that desire.

Saint Elizabeth's parish family has grown from a handful of people to more than sixty households. The first child baptized in the new church is still a member, with his family, while new families and individuals have come and gone over the years. The original coal-fired stove was replaced by a forced-air gas heater in 1953, thanks to an $800.00 loan from the diocese. The rectory was built in 1958, the hall acquired during the first tenure of Father Bill Krudwig as pastor, and the addition of the lot to the north are external signs of the growth of the faith life of our Catholic community.

Holy Eucharist was celebrated every other week at first by the pastor of Saint Mary's in Nevada, but it wasn't long before weekly Mass became the norm. The Sacrament of Confirmation was celebrated for the first time here in March, 1950.

Did you know that the sanctuary windows at one time were clear glass from floor to ceiling? There must have been a fair number of children in the parish early on, because the "necessary room" on the north end of the church was added just two years after the building was built. The first resident pastor, Father John J. White, boarded briefly in a house at 306 South Main before the house at 710 South Main was rented. He and his mother were the first residents of the "new" rectory.

The Catholic faith is a continuing presence in the area thanks to the lived faith of those who preceded us and the continued growth of life in fellowship with God of our people today. We owe generous thanks to our early families, to Bishops O'Hara and Charles Helmsing (who "gave" the property, church and rectory to the parish, never asking repayment), to folks like Mark Smith (who into his senior years cared for the buildings and grounds), and most especially to God for the gifts given us beyond measure.

May the future find us ever more willing to share our love of God with each other and our neighbors in the El Dorado Springs area and throughout the world.