Paul Dobberstein
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Paul Matthias Dobberstein (September 21, 1872 – July 24, 1954) was a German American priest and architect.
Dobberstein was born in Rosenfeld, Germany. Father Dobberstein was educated at the University of Deutsch-Krone in Germany and at the St. Francis Seminary, in St. Francis, Wisconsin. He was ordained on June 30, 1897.[1]
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[edit] Grottoes
He is known for designing and building a series of religious grottoes:
• Sacred Heart Church: Sioux City, Iowa
• Immaculate Conception Grotto: Carroll, Iowa (now gone)
• Franciscan Convent: Dubuque, Iowa
• Shrine in the St. Rose of Viterbo Convent of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration: La Crosse, Wisconsin (now gone)
• Catholic Cemetery: Wesley, Iowa
• John Brown Park: Humboldt, Iowa
His most famous work, however, is the Grotto of the Redemption, in West Bend, Iowa,[2] in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sioux City. This is actually a series of several connected grottoes.[3] At the neighboring church of Saints Peter and Paul, he also created a fountain and, inside, a majestic nativity scene.
In addition to his prolific works of art and stone, he led a busy life as the pastor of Saints Peter and Paul there in West Bend for more than 57 years. His signature appears on over a thousand baptism records from his time in the parish.
[edit] References
- An Explanation of the Grotto of the Redemption
