History of St. Peter the Apostle Parish

East Troy, Wisconsin

In the early 1800s, Scottish and German immigrants and transplanted first-generation New Yorkers seeking new opportunities and inexpensive farm land, settled in the community of East Troy.  In 1854, East Troy's first Catholic Church was built at a cost of $1,200.  The church's name was St. Thaddeus and it was a frame building located on Division St. just north of Elm St. on land plotted for religious purposes by the first settlers in East Troy.

The parish was served by missionary priests who traveled from village to village.  As time passed and the congregation grew, the present church as we know it (at 1981 Beulah Avenue) was built of stones hauled from Potter's Lake.  This new church was completed at a cost of $16,000 in 1872, and was named St. Peter's.  The Sanctuary was added in 1900 and in 1910 new stained glass windows and a pipe organ were installed, which are both still a part of our current building.

The first resident pastor came to St. Peter's Church in 1916, and the red brick rectory was built next to the church at that time.  Under the direction of Father John Goebel in the 1950s, construction for a parish school began, and the school opened for classes in 1962.  In addition, a new convent (now the rectory and parish offices) was completed on September 28, 1962.  Both projects were finances through donations from the parish. 

Over the years, St. Peter's Parish has continued to grow with a blend of former city dwellers, vacationers and descendents of original settlers.  As the community of East Troy has grown from an agricultural center to a suburban recreation center, the church has kept its pace.  Currently, Father Larry Chapman and retired pastor, Father John Twomey serve the needs of our growing parish.  There are 850 registered families in the parish, currently 113 students enrolled in the school, which services Preschool through eighth grade and 299 CCD Students.

Recent History of Priests Serving St. Peter the Apostle Parish

1956-1968      Fr. John H. Goebel - New school was built in 1962

1968-1986      Fr. Joseph Hickey

1986-1995      Fr. John Twomey -

                    retired in 1995, but assists St. Peter's today

1995-1998      Fr. Kenneth Derfus

1998               Fr. Don Hying (March - June, Interim pastor)

1998-2002      Fr. Louis P. Luljak

2002 -            Fr. Lawrence Chapman