In the fall of 1878 the Sisters of St. Joseph came to Prescott. Money was raised in the community for a hospital to be run by the sisters and by 1881 the hospital had been completed on North Marina Street. In June of 1891 construction was started next door on Sacred Heart Catholic Church. The church was designed by Frank Parker under the direction of Father Alfred Quetu. Fr. Quetu was the prime mover behind the building of the church. The first services were held on February 17, 1895.
Sacred Heart Catholic Church is a substantial brick structure in the "Sober Gothic Style" featuring pointed arches, decorative brickwork and two colors of local rhyolitic tuff stone for trim and the foundation. It is one of the best examples of religious architecture in Arizona. Originally, the church had a steeple 115 feet tall. After being struck by lightning several times, it was removed in 1930. In 1915, the old hospital was torn down and the Rectory was built next door. A new hospital had been built on Grove Avenue in 1898, and the name was changed to Sisters of Mercy Hospital.
June 13, 1969 was the last time the church was used for religious services. In 1969 the Prescott Fine Arts Association acquired the property for a theater and art gallery, an excellent example of adaptation of a historically significant building for re-use for the benefit of the community. The church and rectory are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
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