Dickeyville Grotto
Dickeyville, Wisconsin
The
Dickeyville Grotto, in Dickeyville, Wisconsin, is a classic example of the
Midwestern grotto tradition.
Constructed between 1918 and 1931 by Mathius Wernerus, the German-born priest
of the local parish, the Grotto exemplifies the faith of its builder as well as
his vision of a patriotic ideal.
Father
Wernerus used concrete, poured into slabs or modeled around metal forms, to
shape his handiworks, and studded the surface with colorful bits of glass,
carefully-chosen stone, shells, and other materials. As a Catholic priest of a
German-American parish, Father Wernerus 
portrayed the two themes of religion and
patriotism in his work.
The “Patriotism Shrine” is a composition at
Dickeyville that centers on Christopher Columbus.
In this
composition, a statue of Columbus is framed by an arch studded with abalone
shells and blue glass.
The
focus on a patriotic theme rather than a purely religious one made the Grotto
an attractive tourist destination.
Still popular today, it was visited by up to 40,000 visitors annually
during the 1920s and 1930s, and some visitors were inspired to replicate Father
Wernerus' handiworks. Related pages
show images from Dickeyville, and from some of the other sites that grow from
the Midwestern grotto tradition.
Text
and photos copyright, Susan A. Niles