A way of the cross was erected in the woods on the Feast of the Seven Dolors, April 12, 1889, with approval of Archbishop Peter Richard Kenrick. 

As more and more pilgrims came to Starkenburg, Father Hoehn decided that more elaborate stations should be purchased with assistance from the Pilgrims.  In 1900, Father Jacob Denner, a former student of Father Hoehn's, came to spend his Christmas vacation here.  While walking through the woods to the Grotto, Father Hoehn mentioned to Father Denner that he would like to get donations for this purpose. 

Three days later, a letter was received from Mr. Joseph Highberger from Westphalia, Kansas.  He had attended many Pilgrimages at Starkenburg, and wanted to buy new stations for the woods, to replace the very simple ones.  Mr. Highberger and Fr. Hoehn went to St. Louis, Missouri, shortly after the new year 1901 to purchase the new stations.  New images were purchased at B. Herder.  Artist A.T. Kaletta, of St. Louis had made them.

During the summer, the stations were begun with quarry stones for the foundation and the remainder of brick.  The crosses that were erected on the stations were made of wood, a condition made by the Church in order to gain indulgences.  Mr. Highberger donated the images, but various pilgrims donated each of the fourteen niches.

On Sunday, August 4, 1901, Rev. P. Servatius Rasche, O.F.M., superior of the Franciscan Monastery at Hermann, blessed the new Stations of the Cross in the presence of parishioners and some Pilgrims from St. Louis.  The following morning, the feast of Our Lady of Snows, a solemn Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Rev. Father Boehm of Dutzow, assisted by Father J.M. Denner and Father Hoehn.

For forty years they stood, until the weather began to deteriorate the soft brick structure.  Some were partly eroded, others had been demolished by falling trees, but the images remained intact.  They were inserted into the framework when, in 1949, under the direction of Rev. P. Minwegan, O.M.I., the stations were torn down and rebuilt of reinforced concrete.  They are 13 feet high, on a base of solid concrete.  This third set of Stations was blessed in 1950 by Rev. Father Coleman Borgard, O.F.M., of Hermann.