Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist

The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist has undergone many changes and renovations since it’s construction in 1876. The French Gothic building survived a fire in 1898, was renovated in 1959, 1985, and the most recent Jubilee renovation in 2000 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the diocese. In 2020, the building was named a minor Basilica by his Holiness Pope Francis and underwent one of its most dramatic renovations, this time, to the Lower Level and Chapel sections of the church. The project scope included the construction of new architectural plaster vaults in the ceilings of the chapel, new flooring, construction of a new chancel and other related renovations to help bring the appointment and finish of the Sanctuary to other areas of the church. This project took over 8 years to plan and prepare for and was completed with a tedious attention to detail keeping the sanctuary in full operation throughout construction.