St. Hyacinth was founded in 1882 when Monsignor Hyacinth Gulski moved to establish a congregation on what was then Tenth Avenue and Becher, due to overcrowding at St. Stanislaus.  The new congregation divided from the parent church of St. Stanislaus.  The church was designed by Milwaukee architect Henry Messmer and construction began in 1882 by John Bentley and Son began. Construction was completed in early 1883 and the parish was incorporated on August 20^th, 1883.

The church is constructed of cream city brick with sandstone trim and incorporates Gothic and Renaissance forms and details, including a Polish-style domical steeple. The interior is distinguished by a flat ceiling and significant ecclesiastical art featuring ceiling frescos by Swiss artist L. Rusca (1889), and wall murals by Italian artist Joseph Vittur (1899). 

Reflecting the parish’s changing demographic from Polish to Latino, 2006 saw the installation of a mural depicting Juan Diego venerating the icon of Our Lady of Guadalupe.  In 2018, the parish added a modernist background piece inspired by the presentation of the original Tilma of Our Lady at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico.