I grew up near here. As I understand it, Holy Hill is one of three Carmelite monasteries in the US. It is the only one with a parish associated with it. A beautiful midnight mass on Christmas, usually televised.
The last I knew, they still had one of two towers open to visitors. On a clear day you can see for twenty miles or so. Wear you big persons pants if you decide to climb it, especially on a windy day.
I tried to buy a house out there when we first moved here in 1986-87(many properties have a view of the steeples) but I couldn't find one. It was amusing to see the properties that I was offered "with a view of Holy Hill".
The first one had a tiny glimpse of the steeples reflected in the corner of the mirror over the fire place. Another boasted a view of Holy Hill that was just trees. I was informed that you could see the church in the winter when the leaves fell off the trees.
LOLOLOL!
Holy Hill was discovered and mapped by Jesuit missionaries between 1673 and 1679. Based on their information a French hermit named Francois Soubrio went there around 1850 and camped there.It was designated a Basilica when Cardinal Dolan (now of NY) was the Archbishop of Milwaukee. I read elswhere that the upper church got new bronze doors for its 150th anniversary a couple of years ago.In 1855 Fr. Paulhuber, of Salzburg, Austria purchased 40 acres at the top of the hill from the government and three years later erected a 15 foot high oak cross made from a tree growing on the hill.
In 1862 a simple log chapel named the Shrine of Mary - was dedicated by Fr. George Strickner. Wooden Stations of the Cross were set up alongside the road that lead to it. In the winter of 1880 the chapel was replaced by a new shrine which was in use for 45 years.
In 1906 the Shrine was put under the care of a group of Discalced Carmelites from Bavaria.
Holy Hill was declared a Shrine with "Portiuncula privilege" by Pope Leo XIII in 1903. And, as a result of the increasing number of pilgrims, the Discalced Carmelites of Bavaria were invited to staff the Shrine in 1906. On November 19, 2006, the Shrine was elevated to the status of Basilica.
Soon the Basilica attracted so many pilgrims that it had to be replaced. It was razed in 1926. The present chapel was started in 1926 and was consecrated in 1931.
The chapel dominates Holy Hill. Above the entrance to the upper church are two 8-foot marble statues. The statue of St. Mary Help of Christians is on the left, and the statue of St. Joseph, protector of the order, is on the right. Inside the upper church, St. Teresa of Jesus and St. John of the Cross, founders of the Discalced Carmelites, are depicted in mosaics.
More than 500,000 people from all over the world visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of Mary, Help of Christians, at Holy Hill each year.