St. Augustine's was founded in 1887 to meet the spiritual needs of the growing French-Canadian community that had been established by the later part of the nineteenth century. The early parish first met in Meonian Hall on Water Street, then later at a church on Northern Avenue. Construction of the first St. Augustine's church began in 1888, and today this structure (now enlarged) serves as St. Augustine's School. The magnificent St. Augustine's church, built of Hallowell granite in 1917, sits on land that was purchased from the Edwards Manufacturing Company, coupled with an adjacent lot donated to the church by the mill.

The classes for St. Augustine's School were first held around 1892 in rooms on the first floor of the original church. In 1917, the old wooden church became the full-time school. The Urseline Sisters were the first teachers, but the Sisters of the Presentation of Mary took over in 1904 when the Urseline Sisters returned to Canada. In 1972, there were over 800 students in the school. Today, the school continues to educate many children from Augusta and the surrounding area.

The campaign to build the magnificent cathedral began in 1907, under the leadership of Father Alphonse Lariviere. Church bazaars, a traditional bastion of women, were a major source of funds for the new building, which was completed by 1918. St. Augustine's has recently undergone major restoration, and parish women have figure prominently in this undertaking. Julie Brawn served as chair of the Solicitation Committee and Anita Nored (with Phil Piper) co-chaired the Restoration Fund-Raising Committee.

 

Site #39.1 Sources:

	Augusta, Maine Sesquicentennial. Special reprint of Daily Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Maine, Sesquicentennial Edition, Wednesday, July 30, 1947.
	Faith Communities of Augusta, Maine - Past and Present. A City Bicentennial Project under the auspices of the Augusta Clergy Association, 1997.
	Hendrickson, Dyke. Quiet Presence: Dramatic, First-Person Accounts: the True Stories Of Franco-Americans in New England. Portland, ME: G. Gannett Pub. Co., c1980.
	–St. Augustine Restoration Campaign." Pamphlet prepared by The Restoration Fund Committee of St. Augustine's Church (n.d.).
	Violette, Maurice. –Pre-Calumet Era: Origin and Growth of Augusta Franco-Americans." In Semi-Centennial Celebration: 1922-1972 - Fifty Years of Progress. Augusta, ME: Le Club Calumet, 1972.