Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in Antonio, Kansas.
Antonino, Kansas, is an unincorporated community located in the Smoky Hill Valley in southwest Ellis County.
Antonino was established in 1904 after parishioners of the St. Francis Church in Munjor requested a new parish due to the distance from their homes. Its residents wanted to name it St. Anthony, but when they went to establish a post office, the name was denied because of a town in Harper County named Anthony. The name Antonino was chosen after a village that some of the pioneers had lived in while in Brazil, and a post office was established on May 17, 1905.
Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church, a frame building, was built in 1904-1905. Antonino never grew much, but a school was built in 1939 and maintained its parish congregation. A new brick church was built in 1951-52. Though Antonino is still called home to a few people, its post office closed its doors forever on February 6, 1884. The church still serves parishioners today.
The old Rural District U-1 School in Antonio, Kansas serves as a residence today.
There are still several homes in the area, but no businesses exist today.
Antonino is located about eight miles southwest of Hays.
©Kathy Alexander/Legends of Kansas, updated December 2023.
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