It's not unusual to see cars parked in the Trinity Heights parking lot well before sunrise, according to Mary Stevens.
More than 100,000 people from all over the world flock to the inspirational destination that blends art, nature and the teachings of Christianity each year out of sheer curiosity or the need to find a quiet place to pray and reflect.
"We hear people say, 'It's just so peaceful here. I just get out of the car and I feel such peace,'" said Stevens, who manages St. Joseph Center, which houses Trinity Heights' museum.
Providing people with a place to experience the peace that Jesus Christ gives, Stevens said, was The Rev. Harold Cooper's dream.
In the mid-1980s, Cooper, then pastor of St. Joseph Church in Sioux City, and the non-profit corporation, Queen of Peace, Inc., set out to purchased the 80-acre property perched atop a hill at 33rd Street and Outer Drive on Sioux City's north side.
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Almost 20 years later, pine trees, a pond, a stream and two dozen shrines dot the landscape, along with a chapel, gift shop and apartment housing for seniors.
Visitors can sit on benches and admire the 30-foot steel statues of Jesus and his mother, Mary, light a candle in the Divine Mercy Adoration Chapel, or view a hand-carved wood sculpture of the Last Supper.
Pillars or bollards accompany shrines depicting the six places where Mary appeared in the world. The 10 Commandments and 8 beatitudes delivered by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount are also present on the grounds.
Although Trinity Heights is Catholic in theology, Stevens said it is ecumenical in intent and appeal.
"We're like an open Catechism," she said. "The basics of Christianity are here."
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In 1912 the Franciscan Fathers purchased 53 acres of land on the city's north side. They built three buildings that housed Trinity High School and College.
By the mid 1950s, the educational institution was abandoned and sold to a real estate developer.
After seeing a 30-foot tall statue of the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace in Santa Clara, Calif., it became Cooper's dream to bring one to Sioux City.
A group of lay persons formed the non-profit corporation, Queen of Peace, Inc., in effort to buy the Trinity High School and College property and make Cooper's dream a reality.
At $325,000, the land was too costly. The group prayed the Rosary daily on the abandoned property for six years. Then the price of the land dropped under $100,000, and Queen of Peace, Inc. purchased it about 1987 and begin developing Trinity Heights.
Stevens said the men who attended Trinity High School and College played a big part in establishing Trinity Heights and continue to support it with monetary donations and by volunteering their time at St. Joseph Center and Museum.
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The Marian Center Gift Shop and Resource Center opened in 1990, the same year nationally renowned sculptor Dale Lamphere, of Spearfish, S.D., was commission to create the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace.
The 30-foot tall stainless steel statue was dedicated in 1993. Almost immediately, Stevens said buses began regularly driving up the dirt road so tourists could get a glimpse of the statue.
Over the next three years, Trinity Gardens and the Circle of Life Memorial to the Unborn were built on the grounds, along with St. Joseph Center and Museum. The center's octagon room houses Jerry Traufler's "Last Supper" - a life-size rendition of the Last Supper.
Traufler, a postal employee from Le Mars and self-taught sculptor, carved each figure out of basswood and pine with a chisel and mallet.
"This is really an attraction for people from all over the world because it's so unique," Stevens said.
The Sacred Heart of Jesus statue, a 33-foot stainless steel work by Lamphere, was added in 1999. It anchors one end of the property. On the other:Â the Immaculate Heart of Mary Queen of Peace, whose right hand points to Jesus. Her left hand welcomes visitors.
Various shrines were added in the following years, including the Way of the Saints - six clusters honoring 60 saints. A statue of Moses overlooks the Way of the Saints from a hill.
Among the latest additions to Trinity Heights are St. Anthony's Senior Housing, a neighborhood of 12 homes; statues of Cooper, St. Paul and St. Peter; and the Veteran's Memorial, which was dedicated this year.
Stevens said the rock engraved with the words "God Bless America" was placed on a patch of grass leading to the Sacred Heart of Jesus after 9/11. Bricks on the main walkway were added around it to honor veterans.
Family members can purchase a brick engraved with the name of their veteran and their photo for $250.
Memorial plaques affixed to bollards, rocks and benches throughout the park can also be purchased to honor loved ones and help support Trinity Heights.
