Foundation of Catholic Basilica

Catholic Basilica foundation is a historical site in Shasta, California in Shasta County. Catholic Basilica site is a California Historical Landmark No. 483 listed on April 10, 1951. The cornerstone of Catholic Basilica was place in May 1857 by Archbishop Joseph Sadoc Alemany O.P. and the Reverend Raphael Rinaldi. The church had its begianing in 1853, when the Archbishop of San Francisco, Alemany, sent Father Florian Schwenninger to be the head of mission in Shasta County serving the miners and settlers. The first church was small wooden church built in 1853. In 1855 Father Schwenninger was transferred to Weaverville and Father Raphael Rinaldi took of duties at Shasta. Father Rinaldi started to built the new stone church in 1857, to replace the wooden church. The building did not get beyond the laying of the Foundation, that is still on the site.

The marker at the site of the Catholic Basilica Foundation.