Silver Lake is an unincorporated settlement in Saint Mary's Township in

Perry County Perry County may refer to: United States *Perry County, Alabama *Perry County, Arkansas *Perry County, Illinois *Perry County, Indiana *Perry County, Kentucky *Perry County, Mississippi *Perry County, Missouri *Perry County, Ohio * Perry Cou ...

Missouri Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...

, United States.

Etymology

Silver Lake was named after the nearby lake of the same name, so named for its clear water, although there is another legend that an attempt was made to locate a silver mine near the lake. The post office name was written Silver Lake (1876-1895; Silverlake 1896-1910; and Silver Lake since 1910). The change was doubtless suggested by postal authorities, who prefer single names, but custom triumphed over law and the two words are used.State Historical Society of Missouri: Perry County http://shs.umsystem.edu/manuscripts/ramsay/ramsay_perry.html

History

Lead was mined in the location of Silver Lake in 1883 and some silver was found, though not in paying quantities. A post office was established in 1876. The town of Silver Lake was laid out by Simon DuVall (1782-1865) on land that was granted to him in 1856. The local Catholic parish church is the St. Rose of Lima Mission church. The parish first started as a log cabin mission church served by the Vincentians from

Perryville, Missouri Perryville is a city in Perry County, Missouri, United States. The population was 8,555 at the 2020 United States census. Perryville is the county seat of Perry County. History Perryville was selected the county seat of Perry County by Robert ...

in the 1855. The first frame church was built in 1865, under William Vincent Moore, C.M. In the early 1870s, Father Joseph Hellwing, who had just become pastor of St. Mary's at Biehle, Missouri, also gave services here. Father William Vincent Moore, C.M., a local Missouri native, who studied both at St. Mary's of the Barrens Seminary and later in

Cape Girardeau, Missouri Cape Girardeau ( , ; colloquially referred to as "Cape") is a city in Cape Girardeau County, Missouri, Cape Girardeau and Scott County, Missouri, Scott Counties in the U.S. state of Missouri. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the ...

, also served there. The stone church was constructed under direction of Father Denis D. Leyden, C. M. in 1877-79 of unique colored stone blocks, and was known as Holy Innocents. The brothers and students at St. Mary's of the Barrens donated 30,000 shingles for the roof of the new church. The Silver Lake church was changed to St. Rose of Lima, in 1885-1886, under Father Pommer and Father E. J. Wynne, apparently as a response to the completion of the new stone church.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Perry County, Missouri Unincorporated communities in Missouri