St. Joseph's Church is one of the pioneer churches of both the City of Bellevue and the State of Iowa. As early as 1841 there was a small body of Catholics in the community, principally immigrants from Ireland, along with a few German and French families. By the fall of 1841, Bishop Loras had bought a lot on Water Street (sometimes called Front Street), from the government for the purpose of erecting a church thereon. He also purchased a lare lot for cemetary purposes. The following year, 1842, a little frame church, 20 by 28 feet, was constructed at Dubuque and shipped down the river on a raft ready to be put up. The church, called St. Andrew's, was a gift of Bishop Loras at the cost of about eight hundred dollars (which, according to an inflation calculator, would be about $21,500 in 2019!).

After that, there were occasional services conducted by priests who came down from Dubuque. Fr. J. C. Parrodin came from Garryowen almost monthly during 1844 and 1845, when the Rev. F. J. Healy, stationed at St. Raphael's Cathedral in Dubuque, took charge of the little mission, coming the second Sunday of every month. He was following in 1848 by the Rev. Francis McCormick, and in 1850 the parish received their first resident pastor, Rev. Frederick Jean, who remained in Bellevue until October of 1853 when the little church was destroyed by a fire. After that, there was no resident priest for several years, but the parish was attended as before from the Cathedral. The parish rented a room in the building knowns as the Kennedy Block, where Father Rensen said Mass for a short time. In 1855, the old site (lot 38) was sold to Patrick Dunn and two other lots, on the corner of Fifth and Jefferson Streets, were bought by Anthony Tracy. Following that, a brick church, St. Andrew's, which measured 34 by 65 feet, and cost $2,500 (again, adjusted for inflation, that's nearly $70,000) was built. It was completed under the administration of the Rev. Patrick McCabe, who oversaw the parish from 1855-1856. Rev. John Vahey was at the parish in 1857, and he was succeeded by the Rev. Edward Kenney in 1858. The first resident pastor since the old building burnt down was Rev. John B. Brazill, who was in Bellevue in 1859 and 1860. The Rev. R. F. Maloney was here the latter part of 1860 for only a short time, before Rev. Dennis Wheeler took his place. Rev. Wheeler subsequently died about a year later. From 1862 to 1863, Rev. George Brennan was pastor, and in 1864 Rev. Dennis Brennan became pastor. Then, from 1865-1868, Rev. James Harding was pastor. In the latter part of his administration, the German speaking portion of the congregation, having become quite strong, formed a society under the patronage of St. Joseph and rented a frame building on the lots owned by the Maier Brothers, which served as a meeting hall and a school. The same yaer, they also began the erection of the old St. Joseph's Church, which measured 50 by 90 feet. This church cost about $10,000 (nearly $200,000 adjusted for today). This was intended to serve as the church for German-speaking Catholics, while the old parish, St. Andrew's, would continue to serve English-speaking Catholics. However, when Father Harding was succeeded by Rev. Theodore Schiffmacher in 1868, he completed the new stone church and united the two nationalities under one church, the present St. Joseph's Church. He had charge until October 1879. Following that, Rev. Peter Portz became pastor and died in the second year of his service, on November 29, 1881, during a smallpox epidemic. For the next six months, the parish's needs were attended to by the neighboring parishes in Spruce Creek and Springbrook.

On June 11, 1882, Rev. Nicholas J. Bies began his duties as pastor. As St. Joseph's congregation had grown significantly, and Spruce Creek no longer had a resident priest, an assistant priest was sent to Bellevue on January 21, 1889. This was Rev. Joseph Hagemann, who also attended the church at Spruce Creek every other Sunday. Rev. John P. Wagener succeeded Fr. Hageman on January 1, 1903. He remained assistant in the parish until June 1, 1910. The next pastor was Rev. Frank Vallaster. Around the beginning of his service, a fine new Gothic stone church was built in 1910, measuring 60 feet by 140 feet, costing $40,000 (which, adjusted, would be $1.1 million today). During the construction of the new building, Mass was said in Columbia Hall. In 1923, the acting pastor, the Rev. Nicholas J. Bies, asked for an administrator due to his failing health. Rev. William J. Cremer came in the fall of 1923 and acted as administrator until October 1929. He was succeded by Rev. Joseph E. Linkenmeyer in October 1929, who was appointed pastor by the Most Rev. James. J.Keane, DD, Archbishop of Dubuque. Priests who were assistants of Fr. Bies aside from those previously mentioned included Rev. Matthias J. Manternach, 1913-1921 and Rev. Stephan J. Mauer, 1921-1923.

The assistants of Rev. Joseph E. Linkenmeyer included Rev. John H. Meyer, 1929-1930, Rev. Ernest P. Ament, August 1930-October 1930, Rev. Lawrence Klassen.

Much later, under Fr. Cletus Hawes, the church was refurbished, an elevator was installed, and a new rectory was built. Since 200, air conditioning has been installed in the church, along with new carpeting and a new sound system. The interior of the church was repainted, handicapped bathrooms were put in Kieffer Hall, and new sidewalks were put in around the church. St. Joseph parish presently has about 800 families, and Marquette Schools continue to serve students of the area parishes.