St. Gertrude's Convent and Chapel

Monastery of Saint Gertrude

The Monastery of Saint Gertrude is a significant Benedictine convent located in the United States, near Cottonwood, Idaho. Its history began in 1882 with the immigration of three nuns from St. Andrew's Abbey in Sarnen, Switzerland. These pioneering sisters established convents and schools, expanding their mission across eastern Washington and northern Idaho. In 1909, the community was officially designated as the motherhouse, solidifying its central role. The monastery's principal buildings, including its chapel, were recognized for their historical and architectural merit and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979 under the name St. Gertrude's Convent and Chapel.

History and Development

The founding community consisted of Mother Johanna Zumstein and Sisters Magdalene Suter and Rosalia Ruebli, who embarked on their journey to the United States in September 1882. Upon arrival, they established vital educational institutions, including convents and schools in Uniontown and Colton, Washington, and provided staffing for schools in Cottonwood and Genesee, Idaho. A pivotal moment occurred in 1909 when John Uhlenkott, whose daughters were nuns in the convent, invited the sisters to relocate to Cottonwood. He generously donated 100 acres of land on a promontory overlooking the town, providing a new home for the growing community.

Architecture and Design

The monastery's main chapel and convent building, designed by Jakob Engelbert Gier, represent a notable example of Romanesque Revival architecture. Construction commenced in 1919 and was completed in 1924, with resident nuns contributing to the labor by quarrying and transporting stone, particularly during the post-World War I era of labor shortages. The structure is characterized by its robust, two-foot-thick walls constructed from local blue porphyry. The chapel itself is basilican in form, measuring 50 by 127 feet, and is flanked by a 127 by 164 feet convent wing. Two prominent 97-foot corner towers, topped with basilica roofs and gold crosses, add to the imposing facade. These towers house bells dedicated to the Sacred Heart and archangels Joseph, Michael, and Gabriel. The niche between the towers features a statue of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Interior Details

The interior of the chapel is distinguished by its rich decoration, including hand-carved elements. The high altar, a significant piece, was crafted in Sigmaringen, Germany, in 1928 by a company whose master had received the rare insignia "Pro Papa Et Ecclesta" for exceptional contributions to religious art. Side shrines were salvaged from the original wooden building and purchased in 1909. The chapel's ceilings and walls are further adorned with emblems of the Apostles' Creed and other paintings, executed in 1947 by Alex Linenberger and Associates of Hays, Kansas. A statue of Saint Gertrude of Helfta, the nunnery's patron, is situated in a niche above the chapel's rear entry.