History of Our Lady of the Hills Church
The community first held mass at Mr. and Mrs. Charles Buckman's home on the road between Jessietown, and St. Joseph, Kentucky, before 1874 when the St. Matthews Church was built. The Priest attended from Raywick and St. Mary's College. When the new road up the Muldraugh Hill was built, the congregation moved to Finley around 1900, and in 1907 the lumber from the St. Matthews Church was used to build the Rectory, and add 10 feet to the church. The new church was called Our Lady of the Hills.
In 1948 it was decided that the church was too small, and since there was no room or land to expand the church, it was decided to build a new one on the other side of the cemetery. Father Louis Bossung, and his brother, Father Frank Bossung requested parishioners furnish logs, labor and what money they could afford, and they asked their friends and family to contribute the rest of the needed money to finish and furnish the church.
In May of 1950, a deed was given by John H. Moore to the Archbishop to build a school for Our Lady of the Hills. The county of Marion took over the school that was built there, and in 1954 the two Dominican sisters came to staff the school for the county. Rev. Henry Stucker built a convent for the Sisters behind the church. (now used for the rectory). The sisters left the parish around 1964, and the school property was disposed of.
In October 1970, Mrs. Sara B. Martin willed the parish money. The money was used to help construct a Parish Hall now called "Martin Hall". The remainder of the building cost was financed by profit from the farm willed by Richard Moore and Family, and the sale of the old Rectory, school, and land sold for the phone tower. Today Martin Hall is used primarily for religious education classes weekly and parish social functions.
