On a spring morning in 1886, some 50 families gathered outside a small Church in Fort Smith. They were preparing to attend a solemn, yet joyous Mass, filled with hope at the new undertaking. They would have smiled as they offered each other the greeting "Guten Morgen"....For this was the purpose of the original Saint Boniface Church, to allow German-speaking Catholics to worship in their own language.

In the mid-1880's Bishop Fitzgerald realized there were several families in the Fort Smith area who were unable to follow Sunday sermons, or to make their confessions in English. The situation had reached a point where it was feared some of the elderly would stay away from services rather than struggle with English.

In a generous effort to meet the needs of a German-speaking population, Bishop Fitzgerald donated a complete block of property in downtown Fort Smith for the home of their own Church. Today, Saint Boniface stands on that same land.

The first fifty families in the membership set to work razing money for their Church. Four ladies, (Mrs. Quante, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Stiesberg, and Mrs. Greve), put together Saint Boniface's first lawn social. The event netted $50, of which they were quite proud. These socials, or picnics, became annual events, with the Saint Joseph Society taking over the project in 1904. Since then, other parish groups have managed the yearly project.

Saint Boniface School was opened in 1887. Under the direction of Mother Meinrada, Benedictine Sisters from the convent at Shoal Creek, Arkansas, served as our first teachers. The original school building was also the sisters residence until their first home was opened at 221 N. 19th street in 1901. These earliest sisters faced more than the usual rigor of establishing a new school. Two of the sisters contracted malaria; one fell victim to tuberculosis. For a while, sisters from Pocahontas, Arkansas, staffed the school, but the Shoal Creek Sisters returned in 1903 to operate Saint Boniface School.

New families moved to Fort Smith in the early 1900's seeking employment in the rapidly expanding industries of the area. Many of these people were also of German heritage, or were families that had grown accustomed to the direction of Benedictine Fathers, and also found their way into Saint Boniface. By 1904, the parish had grown to 120 registered families.

While the original Saint Boniface Church, a small structure in the center of the 200 block of N. 18th street, was much loved, it soon gave way to its own growing membership. The first attempt to enlarge the church was made when a transept was built to increase the seating to 400. Shortly after remodeling the Church, the parish lost their school to fire in 1910. To replace the original frame building, a two-story, eight-room, brick school was built at the cost of $15,000. Today, this is known as the "old" part of the school.

In full growth during the first two decades of the 1900's, the parish soon realized the small Church would have to be replaced. The congregation began money-making campaigns and saved from Sunday collections. Not even the Great Dpression hindered them and, in 1937, they were able to begin making plans for a new church. After much discussion, it was decided to move the parish house to the center of the block on N. 18th, and that the church should be built on the corner of N. 18th and "B" streets. The contract for construction was finalized on June 28, 1938, and on Friday, July 1, (the Feast of the Most Precious Blood), the ground was broken for the Church by the Pastor, Father Peter Post.

A modernistic, English-gothic design was selected for the new Saint Boniface Church. To prevent the stress often found in this style of architecture, the belfry was placed at the rear of the church. Plans were left open for the possible future addition of a free-standing tower, or a spire, since these are often used to accentuate a Gothic design. Towering over the front entrance of the church is the Cross, some 66-feet above the walk. Possibly the two most distinctive physical attributes of the church are the high ceilings, and the impressive stained glass windows. The interior height of the ceiling from ground level is 44-feet and 2 inches. The church windows are dedicated and purchased by various parish groups and individuals, cost $11,000 new, and were made in Munich, Germany.

With a seating capacity of 650, the new Saint Boniface Church saw its first Mass on May 12, 1939. After a blessing by the Bishop, his Excellency, Most Reverend John B. Morris a solemn High Mass of Thanksgiving was offered by Reverend Peter Post. With the Church complete, new growth was beginning in other areas of the parish. In July, 1959, the home located across N. "B" street from the Church, formerly the Burke family home, was purchased as a new sister’s convent.

Saint Boniface School has always been of great importance to the parishioners. One example of how deeply the concern is felt is Leo Hammer's purchase of three lots at the intersection of N. 19th & "B" street which he generously donated to the school playground space. In 1955, Father James Foley asked the permission of Bishop Fletcher to build an addition to Saint Boniface School. Having always shown a great interest in our school, the Bishop readily agreed. Northum Construction Company won the building contract with a bid of $78.53. Now known as the "new" part of Saint Boniface School, the addition provided two floors of classroom space. Bishop Fletcher broke the ground for the construction on May 7, 1955 and blessed the completed building on March 12, 1956.

In later years, the school has received a number of improvements. The kitchen in the school lunchroom was remodeled in the summer of 1982 and the school's interior was given a new look in the summer of 1983. The lawn socials that we have so faithfully sponsored throughout the years are now the primary money-raiser for special projects at the school. Pancake breakfasts and paper drives are also regular events that provide each of our families a chance to participate in supplementing the school's income.

The old Saint Joseph's Hall, which stood at the northwest corner of the parking lot, was declared unsafe and torn down the early part of 1961. This corner of N. 19th was given to the school by the Saint Joseph's Society and is now the fenced-in play area used by the lower grade children. In the 1960's the final addition to the school was made. Our two-story combination parish hall and auditorium was built to give the school children an assembly room and to provide a meeting place for parish organizations, and for school functions. This modern facility, with a kitchen in the parish hall, completed the construction of Saint Boniface School, a process that spanned over six decades of growth.

During the 1940's, Saint Boniface School grew into one of the finest parochial schools in the Little Rock Diocese. Opened for the purpose of serving grades 1 through 8, it was filled to capacity during the time Ft. Chaffee was an active military base. Originally heated from coal kept in boxes on the front lawn, furnaces were later added to the "old" part of the school. A metal fire escape that spans both floors of the building was another addition. While we can only imagine students arriving for class on horseback or in buggies, we have several graduates of the school who hold fond memories of earlier times. Today students do not attend outdoor Masses behind the school on the Feast of Corpus Christi, nor do they play on a giant pile of dirt from a hollowed-out building site as they wait for the construction of their new Church. The students from those early years ate sack lunches as their daily fare, and they will remember Mr. Charles Jewitt and his Memorial Baby Mill Fund which provided milk for their meals.

The parish's growth may also be measured by changes in the human structure of the Church. After the closing of Fort Chaffee, Saint Boniface School lost several of its students. These changes, however, have done nothing to alter Saint Boniface's reputation as a highly rated institution. Voluntarily accepting Arkansas' standards upon itself, Saint Boniface not only fulfills, but generally exceeds those requirements.

The most recent change to come to Saint Boniface concerns our school. After 99 years as an 8-year facility, beginning in 1986 Saint Boniface School now houses only kindergarten through sixth grades. Students wanting to continue their Catholic education can attend Trinity Junior High School from 7th through 9th grade. Housed in the previous Immaculate Conception Jr. High building, Trinity is supported by all three local parishes. A special school board was elected for Trinity, consisting of the Pastor and three lay persons from each parish. The Principal is Mrs. Connie Gibson, who previously was the principal right here at St. Boniface Elementary for several years. Great things are happening at Trinity.

St. Boniface's rectory is located across N. "B" street from the Church, on the site of the Sicard home. This one-story, brick building represents the latest construction project undertaken by the parish. Various improvements have been made to the Church itself since 1939. A hailstorm on Wednesday evening of Holy Week in 1981 damaged the window in the choir loft. After its repair and installation on Christmas Eve of 1982, it was decided to cover all the church windows with a protective glass. A need for the elderly to get into church without climbing steps was taken care of with the addition of a ramp on the north side of the Church in the summer of 1979. Also on that side of the Church, a metal canopy was built to cover the walkway connecting the Church and the school to protect students and parishioners from the weather.

In 1984, Father Hilary Filitreau returned to Subiaco Abbey after nine years with our parish. His departing gift to us was the purchase of land on the corner of N. 20th and "B" streets that extended an existing playground to the width of the block. Named for the pastor, Hilary Field is the latest addition of playground space to Saint Boniface. Vatican II changed much in the Church's structure. Lay persons were invited to participate more directly in the celebration of the Mass through the development of Lector and Eucharistic Minister programs. In 1972, Basil Buergler became the first lay-Eucharistic Minister at Saint Boniface by accepting an invitation from Father Maurus Gerke. Today, several men and women have followed Mr. Buergler in his program.

Many young men from our parish have received Holy Orders and now serve as priests, and many of our young women have entered into convents. Not only are we thankful for these, but also for the young men who spent their time as Deacons with us, Father Jeremy Meyers and Father David Bellinghausen. By accepting the young Fathers Jeremy and David into its heart, the parish showed its willingness to share. While many of our members support various charity organizations, "In His Name" is a project that reaches our to the local community. Established by Mr. and Mrs. Basil Buergler in 1979, "In His Name" accepts donations of food, household goods, and cash which are then distributed to the needy.

Although German names are still prevalent at Saint Boniface, the present 550 family membership is as wonderfully varied as the world in which we live. No doubt that is how our earliest parishioners would have wanted it, that we grow into a community bound by faith above all else. May we pray for those following us through the next century the same peace our first 50 families sought when establishing Saint Boniface Church.