St. Mary's Catholic Church
N 30° 22.124 W 095° 52.277
15R E 224044 N 3363142
The site of St. Mary's Catholic Church. One of the Texas Painted Churches.
Waymark Code: WM9NX3
Location: Texas, United States
Date Posted: 09/11/2010
Views: 15
This beautiful old church has been fully restored with special attention to maintain the original paint colors and patterns as well as the original architecture.
Marker Number: 12792
Marker Text:
St. Mary's Catholic Church The first recorded visit of a Catholic priest to Plantersville occurred in the summer of 1860. Infrequent worship services subsequently were held at the home of James Kelly Markey until the first church building was constructed in 1873.
An influx of Polish and German-Russian immigrants in the last quarter of the 19th century led to such growth in the congregation that Bishop Nicholas Gallagher of the Diocese of Galveston sent the Rev. Joseph Klein to serve as resident pastor in 1894. During Fr. Klein's pastorate, Cordelia Baker gave 10 acres of land to the diocese for the benefit of a German Catholic Church in Plantersville. A small building was completed and dedicated in 1894 under the name Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
After Fr. Klein's departure in 1907, the Rev. George Wilhelm became pastor, and St. Mary's divided into Polish and German congregations, with the Polish families founding St. Joseph's Church in Stoneham. The church building burned to the ground after being struck by lightning in 1917, and it was replaced the same year, under the leadership of the Rev. George Apel, with this Gothic Revival structure. Stained glass windows reflect the German heritage of the congregation, while the lancet windows, buttresses and crenellated bell tower demonstrate the building's Gothic Revival architectural influences.
Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001
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