St. John's church, Savage landmark since 1902 faces wrecking ball. In a few weeks the church will be torn down to make way for a new building that can house the growing Savage, Burnsville parish. The 82 year old church is the fourth home for the parish which was established as St. John the Baptist Catholic Church of Byrnesville in the 1850s. The member first met in a log cabin in 1854. In 1866 parishioners built a frame church which burnt in 1883. The next church was dedicated in 1885 and burnt in 1902. The archbishop ordered parishioners to build the next church in Hamilton (now Savage), which had a fire and police department. Cost $11,497.
