Construction of the chapel was begun in 1873, but the architect died before it was completed. A staircase to the choirloft, 20 feet above the main floor, would have taken up too much floor space, leaving too little room for parishioners. It is said that on the final day of a novena (nine days of special prayers) by the sisters to St. Joseph, patron saint of carpenters, a man appeared with only a hammer and a carpenter’s square. He built this staircase of a rare wood not native to the area using only simple tools and wooden pegs. Supposedly, he disappeared when it was finished, accepting no pay for his work. The staircase has two complete 360-degree turns with no central support.