Church records indicate that a Mr. Smith provided plans for the church building that was erected by the W.T. Jackson firm of White Bear during 1901 and 1902. Working as a community the group raised the funds necessary to build the church in Hugo. The church was built at the cost of much community effort and $8,000 gleaned from fundraisers.  The building was of red brick, Gothic Revival, style with an arched open bellcote  dome front tower.  Father Van Bosch, resident priest in Centerville, served the Hugo church as interim pastor. The composition of the parish during its first years was described as predominantly French with four German families, and one Irish family.  Services were held in French and English until 1941.  In 1941, Father Van Den Bosch returned to the parish.

A fire started in St. John the Baptist Church in the early morning of February, 12 of 1947 it consumed the church tower and interior, leaving most of the brick walls and basement intact. The congregation decided to reconstruct the church, reusing the foundation and exterior walls where possible. Plans for the reconstruction of the church were provided by the Twin Cities architectural firm of Hills, Gilberton & Hayes.  Father Lloyd J. Fortin was appointed pastor of the parish in the spring of 1947; this appointment began a nearly 30 -year long period when Father Fortin was pastor and a member of the community.

In 1951 Father Fortin and some of the parishioners turned their attention to the church interior and its furnishings. Sister Maria Wilson designed a series of leaded and colored glass windows for the church.  The ever resourceful Fr. Fortin fabricated the ten windows for the building.  The distinctive Windows produced by Sister Maria Wilson and Father Fortin are an outward and unique expression of the community's faith and heritage.

Fr. Fortin also designed and built the St Joseph shrine that is located north of the church.

Ref:

Hawkinson, J.L., et al.

  2002 Phase II Historical Archaeological Evaluation of St. John the Baptist Church and Cemetery in Hugo, Washington County, Minnesota.  URS/BRW Report #02-11. Prepared for the Minnesota Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Commission.