MADISON, Wis. -- The 270,000 Catholics in the Diocese of Madison considered St. Raphael's to be their mother church.

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But many are in mourning after the cathedral was destroyed by fire on Monday.(Full Coverage )

The fire is the fourth in St. Raphael's 150-year history. The others broke out in 1863, 1880 and 1916. Each of these was extinguished before major damage was done.

Wisconsin was not yet a state when territorial Gov. J.D. Doty donated the land for the cathedral so large numbers of immigrants escaping the potato famine would have a place to worship.

The cost of St. Raphael's was $30,000.

"An architectural historian once said, 'If you want to know what's important to any people at any given time, look at what the biggest buildings are,'" said James Draeger an architectural historian for the Wisconsin Historical Society.

Until the new State Capitol was built in the 1920s, St. Raphael's was Madison's tallest landmark. It served as the backdrop for many historic events in the city.

"Now it's a footnote in history," Draeger said.

Madison attorney James Connors said some of his favorite memories are linked to St. Raphael's.

"My grandparents were married in the church, and my parents went to school at St. Raphael's, and all of us kids -- their five children -- we all went there. We were all baptized in that church," Connors said.

"It was kind of like an anchor for this part of town and now it's gone."