staloysiusAccording to Church records, the history of St. Aloysius, North Arm, began in 1817. At the time, pioneers ventured from Bardstown, K.Y., north through Vincennes, and ended their journey at the north arm of Coal Creek in what is now eastern Edgar County. The group, led by Aloysius Brown, settled in 1817.

The community members built a log structure as the congregation outgrew its ability to hold services in the home of Aloysius Brown. A cemetery was also established behind the Church.

As the Church community continued to grow, a second Church was erected in 1837. The area thrived until the late 1840’s when it was decided to place intersecting railroad tracks in Paris. The resulting demographic shift led the Bishop of the Springfield Diocese to create a parish in Paris. Father Thomas Ryan moved from St. Aloysius to St. Mary’s Church in Paris in 1858. Thus, St. Aloysius once again became a mission church, dependent of St. Mary’s, Paris.

At some point, a second structure was added to the churchyard and served as a rectory. The present brick church was built in 1900 using the original altars and communion rails. The rectory was remodeled at a later date turning the structure into a parish hall.

To mark the historical significance of St. Aloysius Church to the heritage of Edgar County, a historical marker was dedicated at the Church in August, 1991, by the Edgar County Historical Society.