St. Anthony Church’s rich history began in 1859 when the Archbishop of San Francisco created a new parish in the little quicksilver mining community of New Almaden. The first St. Anthony Church, or the Little Church, was erected on Mine Hill under the guardianship of Father Picardo. That church later burned down and a second was built in its place, which was also destroyed by fire. The third church was erected on the Mine Hill site in 1885. It served the community of miners for many years, but when the vein of the quicksilver mines was lost, the church was torn down in 1912. The church on Mine Hill was three miles away, and in 1899 Señora Guadalupe Madero, a widow and proprietress of the Hacienda boardinghouse, made a vow that if her son Tony returned safely from the Spanish-American War, she would do all she could to have a church built closer to the Hacienda. Señora Madero raised the money to build the church and the Quicksilver Mining Company donated the land. St. Anthony Church was built on its present site in 1899. Antonio Madero, for whom the church was named, returned safely from the war and attended the new church with his mother. In token of thanksgiving, Señora Madero and her son proceeded from the church door to the communion rail on their knees.
Until 1963, St. Anthony Church was cared for by St. Joseph Parish, and later by St. Patrick Parish of the Diocese of San Jose. Members of Holy Spirit Parish took over its care in 1963. In June 1975, Fr. Thomas McMahon became the first Administrator of St. Anthony Church. Fr. Leonel Noia became the first Pastor of St. Anthony Church when our community became a parish on March 11, 1982. The church on McKean Road was completed in 1994 and dedicated by Bishop Pierre DuMaine under the pastorship of Fr. Robert Hayes. Our present Pastor is Fr. Tad Terembula.