Michael Bushnell
Publisher

These two black and white postcards from roughly 1940 show Assumption Parish and Convent located in the 300 block of Benton Boulevard.

Construction of the church building began in 1921 and was completed some five years later. The Reverend Michael Lyons was in charge of both design and structure (construction) and served at the Parish from 1916 until 1943. The church was renamed St. Anthony’s in 1991 when three Northeast Parishes merged during a partial reorganization of the Diocese of Kansas City & St. Joseph.

The imposing brick structure was constructed in a Mission style with Romanesque elements. Work done by numerous artisans is displayed throughout the church. The stained glass windows were crafted in Munich, Germany and include three rosettes in the sanctuary. The native limestone surrounding the windows came from Bedford, Indiana. Statues of the Catholic Saints are positioned throughout the sanctuary on the exterior walls, as are the 12 stations of the cross.

The Convent, built in 1895, was located at 328 S. Benton Blvd and was once the home of Michael J. Heim, one of three brothers of the J.J. Heim Brewery family. The brewery was located in the East Bottoms near present day Chestnut and Rochester Avenues. J. Rieger Distillery currently occupies one of the old Heim Brewing buildings. All three Heim brothers built their homes on the same block of Benton Blvd. Brother Ferdinand Heim’s home, directly north at 324 Benton, is a mirror image of Michael’s home with a heart-shaped driveway between the two homes.

Both homes are described as being of Queen Anne and Richardson Romanesque styles. The home was donated as a convent in 1932 by William and Mary List after their grandchildren who lived with them were threatened with kidnapping. William was a principal in the List and Clark Construction Company. The entire family fled to Canada, with the exception of William who stayed in Kansas City. List eventually sold his share of the company and migrated to Canada with the rest of the family.

The home remained under diocese ownership until 1972 when it was sold to John and Mary (Relihan) Enright.