About St. Joseph Church

The first Catholic Church near Canton was erected in 1841, at a town called Tully (evacuated in 1851) not far from the site of today's Lock and Dam No. 20 on the Mississippi River. The bricks from that church were used to construct St. Joseph Church in 1869. The present church was dedicated on October 30, 1954, by Bishop John Cody.

About the Mission of Notre Dame

Land for the first church building was purchased in 1865, and the church that was built there in 1867 was named Immaculate Conception Church. The parish has always been a mission parish of St. Joseph in Canton.

A new building was erected during the pastorate of Fr. Michael J. O'Rourke and completed in 1949. It was given the title of Notre Dame Church and was damaged by flooding of the Mississippi River in 1973. A new multipurpose church building and hall were constructed on higher ground in 1983, dedicated on August 19, 1984, and serves the parish today.