St. John's was founded in 1882 by a group of dedicated German, Luxembourg and Irish Catholics who grew tired of traveling by horse and buggy to New Trier and Coates to attend Mass. On Nov. 10, 1881, a group of men gathered in a yard in Vermillion and decided to build a church of their own. Even though the priest at St. Mary's in New Trier opposed their plan, they decided to build it without his blessing -- and without the knowledge of the bishop of the St. Paul Diocese. They were punished for their stubbornness, but the church has flourished for more than 125 years. Today, the parish has 252 families, a beautiful, well-maintained church and a thriving, growing parochial school with 134 students in preschool through fifth grade. Unlike many schools in the archdiocese, St. John's has a waiting list in kindergarten and both levels of preschool. Click here to read Chapter 1 in the parish's rich history. Click here for Chapter 2. Click here for Chapter 3.