Dickeyville: Grotto and Community Tradition

Dickeyville brings together two very different sides of local history: the creation of the Dickeyville Grotto and the annual Holy Ghost Parish picnic. The grotto and shrines tell the story of a site developed over several years; the picnic brings games and shared meals together. When planning your trip, you may therefore be interested in two different highlights: the history of the grotto or a stay around Labor Day weekend.

The Dickeyville Grotto and Its Creation

Father Mathias Wernerus built the Dickeyville Grotto and shrines between 1924 and 1930 using materials and found objects from around the world. The origins of the items used are among the site’s distinctive features: materials and found objects from various parts of the world came together in its creation. The grotto “Grotto of Christ the King and Mary His Mother” was created during this period. Wernerus and his parishioners worked together to create and shape it between 1925 and 1930.

Those interested in local religious history will find a story that encompasses both the materials used and the people who took part in creating the site.

Additions to the Site

The site’s story did not end with the work carried out between 1924 and 1930. The Stations of the Cross were added to the Dickeyville Grotto grounds in 1964. The Our Lady of Fatima Shrine was added in 1998. The grounds also include a Patriotism Shrine. Their different names and dates distinguish the individual features: alongside the original grotto are shrines and stations added later. For a stay focused on cultural history, you may want to explore the different parts of the site as distinct chapters in local history.

Local History and Community Life

An earlier chapter in the area’s Catholic history dates back to 1872. In June of that year, 45 families met in Dickeyville and decided to build their own Catholic church. What is recorded, first and foremost, is the families’ shared decision; it can be clearly distinguished in time from the grotto’s later creation in the 1920s. If you would like to explore Dickeyville beyond the site itself, you can consider these two periods of history separately.

Picnic on Labor Day Weekend

The annual Holy Ghost Parish picnic on Labor Day weekend offers a different experience. Visitors can play games of chance such as bingo. More than 1,000 family-style meals are also served each year. The community picnic offers a different focus from the history of the grotto: the emphasis is on games and sharing a meal. If you would like to plan your trip around this experience, Labor Day weekend is the key date to keep in mind.

When choosing a vacation rental in Dickeyville, you can first consider which of these highlights you would like your trip to focus on: the creation of the grotto and its later additions, or the community picnic with bingo and family-style meals.

More local pages: Boscobel, Hazel Green, Platteville.

For the broader travel overview: Grant County.