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Our Lady of Lourdes Parish History
After the old church was torn down, nothing was left in the spot but vacant ground where a lawn was
planted. In early 1973 Msgr. Rosettie and Abe Samuels came up with a plan for a grotto to be
located in the empty area left by the old church. Construction began in February. All the work was
done by hand with the rock being hauled from a quarry in Dragoon and from the Whetstone mountains. The
shrine was completed March 13, 1976 and it was dedicated the following day.
FIRE!
When the church was decorated for Easter in 1980 a defective electrical extension cord caught fire which spread through the west side of the church causing extensive damage to the building structure, although almost all the items in the sanctuary, including the tabernacle and statues were saved. The fire was extinguished by the Benson fire department, but the fire damage left the church unusable. Mass was held either outside in the grotto area or in the parish hall depending on the weather until the church was reconstructed.
Workers reconstucting the church roof after the fire.
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