About the Architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray

Drawing of Emmanuel Louis Masqueray

Our beloved Church of St. Edward was designed by the Architect Emmanuel Louis Masqueray (1861–1917). He was a French-born architect whose work shaped some of the most iconic Catholic churches in the Upper Midwest. Born in Dieppe, Normandy, he studied at the renowned École des Beaux-Arts in Paris, mastering the classical style that would define his career.

Masqueray came to the United States in 1887, working with leading firms like Carrère & Hastings and Richard Morris Hunt. In 1893, he established Atelier Masqueray in New York City, one of the first independent schools of architecture in the country. Remarkably, he later opened a second atelier dedicated to training women architects—an extraordinary step for the era.

His national reputation grew when he became Chief of Design for the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis (1901–1904), where he oversaw the design of many grand exhibition buildings. Following this success, Archbishop John Ireland invited him to St. Paul, Minnesota, to design a new cathedral for the rapidly growing diocese.

Masqueray’s most celebrated works include:

  • Cathedral of Saint Paul, St. Paul, MN (1904)

  • Basilica of Saint Mary, Minneapolis, MN (1908)

  • St. Joseph Cathedral, Sioux Falls, SD (1919 - after his death)

  • Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Wichita, KS (1912)

  • The Chapel of St.Thomas Aquinas on the Campus of the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul (1918)

  • In our Diocese:

    • Church of St Peter, St. Peter, MN (destroyed by the March 1998 tornado and aftermath) (1911)

    • Church of St. Edward, Minneota, MN (1914)

    • Church of the Holy Redeemer, Marshall, MN (1915)

    • Church of St. Francis, Benson, MN (1917)

Masqueray’s style combined Beaux-Arts harmony and classical beauty with practical considerations. His churches are known for their clear sightlines, excellent acoustics, and designs that encourage full participation in worship. He believed ornamentation should serve the architecture, not overwhelm it.

When he died suddenly in 1917, Masqueray left behind a legacy of sacred spaces that continue to inspire prayer and community. His vision helped shape the architectural identity of Catholicism in America, especially in the Midwest, and his buildings remain landmarks of faith and artistry.

Emmanuel Louis Masqueray is buried in Calvary Cemetery in St. Paul.
tomb of Emmanuel Louis Masqueray