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Remsen, Iowa: 

Remsen celebrated the centennial of St. Mary's Parish in September 2004.  Visit the web site:  www.smparishinfo.org   Remsen also celebrates Oktoberfest every year.

 

Remsen was settled by Luxembourger and German immigrants in the 19th century.  Oktoberfest is celebrated annually on the last weekend of October. 
   
Alton, Iowa
earlysettlers.jpg (26261 bytes)
Above is the statue of the Virgin Mary at the site of the first Catholic church on the prairie.  This country church was used by the early white settlers of Sioux County, Iowa, when they began arriving in 1870.  Regrettably, this statue was recently vandalized and no longer stands at this spot.   Statue of the Virgin Mary that was brought across Iowa by Luxembourgers traveling by wagon from St. Donatus to Le Mars, Alton, and Granville in northwest Iowa.  This statue originated in Luxembourg and is currently housed in Spalding Catholic Elementary School in Alton.
plague.jpg (24307 bytes) Left: a close-up of the inscription on the plaque in front of the prairie statue of the Virgin Mary in memory of the early settlers who came to the area in 1870.