IN NOV. 1909, THE REV. J. GOEBELS CALLED A MEETING TO ORGANIZE ST. ANTHONY'S PARISH FOR THE GERMAN CATHOLIC FARM FAMILIES IN THE COMMUNITY OF LAND LATER KNOWN AS VIOLET. LOUIS PETRUS D'ONATED FIVE ACRES FOR A CHURCH SITE, AND AN ADDITIONAL FIVE ACRES WERE PURCHASED. THE PARISHIONERS BEGAN CONSTRUCTION OF THIS BUILDING IN 1910, WITH JOHN W. HOELSCHER (1866-1941), ONE OF THE EARLIEST SETTLERS HERE, AS FOREMAN OF THE PROJECT. ORIGINALLY MEASURING 26 FT. BY 40 FT., THE FRAME STRUCTURE SERVED AS A CHURCH AND SCHOOLHOUSE.

THE CONGREGATION ENLARGED AND EXTENSIVELY REMODELED THE BUILDING IN 1919. THREE TOWERS WERE ADDED AT THAT TIME. A BELL, PURCHASED EARLIER FROM SPOHN SANITARIUM IN CORPUS CHRISTI, WAS INSTALLED IN ONE. THE RECTORY, WHICH SERVED AS A SCHOOLHOUSE AND A COTTAGE FOR VISITING PRIESTS, WAS ATTACHED TO THE CHURCH BUILDING IN 1920. MEMBERS THEN FENCED AND LANDSCAPED THE AREA.

IN 1952 THE PARISH BUILT A LARGER CHURCH, AND THIS STRUCTURE WAS RELOCATED TO SERVE THE MISSION PARISH OF OUR LADY OF MOUNT CARMEL IN NEARBY CLARKWOOD COMMUNITY. IN 1975, AFTER THAT CONGREGATION ERECTED A NEW CHURCH FACILITY, THE OLD ST. ANTHONY'S BUILDING WAS RETURNED TO A SITE 200 FT. EAST OF ITS ORIGINAL LOCATION AND RESTORED AS A MUSEUM.

RECORDED HISTORIC LANDMARK - 1977
NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES