Historic Preservation

St. Catherine’s Chapel on the Rock at Camp St. Malo

The site on which St. Catherine’s Chapel now stands was the result of accidental discovery by Msgr. Joseph J. Bosetti after searching for a fallen meteor on an August night in 1916. Considering his discovery of the massive lichen-covered rock a message from heaven, Bosetti vowed to build a chapel on the site and establish a camp for boys to share his enthusiasm for the outdoors. In 1934, construction of the chapel began after property owners, Mr. & Mrs. Oscar Malo, donated the money to construct the chapel. Designed by famous Denver architect, Jules J.B. Benedict, the impressive native granite and Lyons sandstone building was designed to harmonize with its surroundings and reflect the characteristics of the original San Malo Church in France. The chapel was named in honor of St. Catherine of Siena and Mrs. Malo’s mother, Catherine Smith Mullen. The chapel instantly became a landmark along Highway 7 with thousands of tourists and guests visiting the site each year to enjoy its solitude and beauty.