The first Catholic Church in the Benton County town of Watkins was constructed in 1880 as a place of worship for the area’s Irish settlers. The church served the community for 26 years before it was destroyed by fire in 1906. The next year, a new facility was built; an adjacent residence was built in 1912 when a full-time pastor was appointed. As membership grew, the church size was doubled in 1918, while additional improvements were made in 1949 and 1962.