Description of Historic Place

The White Eagle Sacred Heart Parish is a Municipal Heritage Property located approximately 17.5 kilometres north of the Village of Kelliher. Situated on 1.2 hectares of grounds, the property consists of a one-storey, wood-frame church built in 1960 and an adjacent cemetery established in 1916.

Heritage Value

The heritage value of the White Eagle Sacred Heart Parish lies in its association with Polish settlement in the area. Polish immigrants settled in the Model Farm district in the early-twentieth century and set about constructing a church in 1915. Although the church took several years to complete, a cemetery was established on the grounds in 1916, making the property the religious and social centre for many Polish families in the area. By 1960, the original Sacred Heart Church had deteriorated and the needs of the congregation outgrew this building. Once again, the congregation worked together to construct the current church and the old one was removed. The property remains a local landmark and a testament to the Polish immigrants who settled in the area.

Source:

Rural Municipality of Emerald No. 277 Bylaw 7/2004.

Character-Defining Elements

The heritage value of the White Eagle Sacred Heart Parish resides in the following character-defining elements:
-those elements that speak to the property's connection to Polish settlers, including the Cyrillic characters used on many of the grave markers and the commemorative plaque by the front entrance;
-those elements that speak to the use of the property as a place of worship, such as the cross on top of the church, the stained glass, the signage on the front exterior of the church, and the cemetery including crosses and religious ornamentation used on many of the grave markers.