In the early 1950's, as Catholic families began moving to the Columbia Basin to develop farms from this land watered by the Grand Coulee Dam, they drove as far as Ritzville, Lind, Othello and Connell to attend Mass. Their desire for Sunday Mass closer to home drew them together into a faith community. In August, 1957, their first Mass was celebrated at a quonset hut in Eltopia, later moving to the Eltopia School. Using their skills and talents, their faith and love, the encouragement of Father Oosterman and the help of Bishop Topel and the Catholic Extension Society, by 1963 they were able to acquire land and break ground to build a new church on Glade Road with the 58 families of the parish providing most of the labor. Easter Sunday of 1964 the first Mass was celebrated in the new St. Paul the Apostle Parish church. Beginning in 1989 a major renovation involved moving the Altar to the east end of the church and turning the pews around, reconfiguring the roof to add the kitchen and bathrooms, and converting the upper level to classrooms and a bell tower, and removing the north exterior wall to open the space for musicians and the Stations of the Cross, and extra seating. Rather than stained glass, Fr. Bob Turner contacted Kathy Barnard in Kansas City to etch glass windows of Saints Peter and Paul, St. Paul's Conversion, and the Stoning of Stephen, and the entrance windows depicting agricultural scenes of our area. Throughout the last several decades, St. Paul has also been very supportive of the active and growing mission in Basin City. The parish has grown to over double the size it was when it was first established.

Founding Date: 1964