In 1884, the entire territory of Montana became the Diocese of Helena. Out of the church at St. Xavier, the Jesuits had several mission churches that included Hardin, Mt. In 1904, the Diocese of Great Falls was established by carving out about TWO THIRDS of the eastern part of the Helena Diocese.
In 1913, a block of land was purchased for $1000 from the Lincoln Land Company where the current St. Joseph Catholic Church still stands, the 700 block of Custer Avenue. The parishioners at St. Joseph’s became organized and conducted fund raising activities, looking to build a permanent church. Original cost estimates for a 30 by 72 foot church structure totaled $6000. On February 28, 1919, the Building Committee put the new St. Joseph’s church out for bids. On May 2, 1919, the forms for the foundation were set, and in August the brickwork was completed. The final cost was closer to $20,000.
The first Mass in the new St. Joseph Church was celebrated Christmas Day, December 25, 1919. Since then the church has been a significant fixture in Hardin. In 1938 the interior of the church was almost completely remodeled.
The Jesuits ministered to St. Joseph’s parish until 1965 when they entered into an agreement with the Capuchin Friars of Detroit, Michigan for the transfer of pastoral care of St. Joseph’s in Hardin and all the Crow Reservation Catholic parishes. Since 2013 diocesan priests have ministered and currently, Father Thomas Selvaraj, a member of the Herald’s of the Good News, an order from India assigned to the Diocese of Great Falls, Billings serves as Pastor
Christmas Day, 2019, St. Joseph’s Church structure started the celebration of 100 years of existence. The parishioners of St. Joseph’s had a 100-year celebration Sunday, February 23, 2020, when Bishop Michael Warfel came to Hardin to celebrate Mass and another 100 years of the Catholic Church in Hardin, Montana.
The Church, itself, was placed on the National Historic Registry in 1991.
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