Carmelite Monastery and Sisters of Mercy Convent-- Stanton TX - Abbeys, Convents and Monasteries on Waymarking.com

It is easy to stay on the I-20 and breeze by the tiny town of Stanton -- it's not near anywhere most folks are going (east or westbound). The I-20 bypasses the town which is in the middle of a lot of flat dusty dryness, with mesquite motts here and there. It ain't picturesque around Stanton, especially.

There's not a lot to do in Stanton, and not a lot to see. There is a cool old neon sign for a long-closed ice cream parlor, and an *ugly* 1970s concrete county courthouse whose grand old 1880s courthouse dome sits forlornly nearby. The Subway on the I-20 is the busiest restaurant. The attached convenience store sees more people in a day than downtown Stanton sees in a week.

BUT -- those who wayfare off the I-20 and come into town for this waymark will see a piece of not-exactly lost but stil widely unknown Texas history, and isn't THAT worth stopping for?

When you come to this site at the edge of downtown Stanton, you will see that the ruins are privately owned and not open to explore. No trespassing signs are posted to keep relic hunters or vandals at bay. The site is cared for, and the locals are vigilant. The monastery and convent ruins are easily seen and their beauty can be appreciated from Carpenter St., even though you can't wander around in them. The loneliness of Stanton recalls the 1880s loneliness of this place when it was buit and active -- use your imagination and feel the time-warp.

From the text of the Historic Marker:

In 1882, six German friars from St. Boniface monastery in Scipio, Kansas, founded a new Carmelite monastery at Grelton Station, halfway between Fort Worth and El Paso on the Texas & Pacific Railroad. They renamed the station Marienfeld and established a German Catholic colony. Under the leadership of Anastasius Peters, the Carmelites attracted immigrant farmers to the area, some of whom joined the religious order. In 1884, this building was constructed to serve as the living quarters for the friars; it was expanded in 1886. From here they journeyed all over west Texas and eastern New Mexico, ministering to the Catholic families in communities along the rail lines and starting new Catholic parishes. Their work in Marienfeld had a direct impact on the town's development and on the formal organization of Martin County in 1884. In 1888, the Marienfeld Carmelites numbered 34, but severe drought during that period resulted in an economic depression that led to faltering support for the friars and the colony. By 1891, only five friars remained, and they left in 1901. In 1897, the Carmelites sold the monastery building to the Sisters of Mercy, who developed an academy on the site in 1898 and used this building for their living quarters and chapel. Soon after a 1938 tornado swept through the complex, the Sisters of Mercy withdrew, and the property was sold. Built of adobe in the Gothic Revival style, the monastery features four-foot thick walls, a stone foundation, Gothic pointed-arch windows and a wrapround porch. It is the only building remaining from the Carmelite occupation of the site. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2000

From the City of Stanton Website:

The Sisters of Divine Providence opened a short-lived school near the Carmelite Monastery in 1887. It was reopened in 1894 by the Sisters of Mercy. In 1897, the Carmelite Monks disbanded and sold the property to the Sisters of Mercy. They operated a convent and academy until abandonment in 1938 (due to a tornado on June 11, 1938). All that remains are the dormitory, ruins of the other buildings and the cemetery.

Full name of the abbey/monastery/convent: Carmelite Monastery/Sisters of Mercy Convent Address: 301 E Carpenter St Stanton, TX US 79782 Religious affiliation: Carmelite Friars, Sisters of Providence and Sisters of Mercy -- Roman Catholic Church Date founded/constructed: 1884 Web Site: [Web Link] Status of Use: Abandoned Ruin

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