As described by the Coast and Geodetic Survey ("CGS") in 1954:
"THE STATION IS THE CROSS ON TOP OF THE CREAM COLORED CEMENT DOME ON THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. IT IS LOCATED NEAR THE SOUTHEAST EDGE OF THE VILLAGE AND ON THE NORTH SIDE OF U.S. HIGHWAY 290. THE DOME IS ABOUT 50 FEET HIGH AND WAS ERECTED IN 1924."
While the coordinates are pretty much accurate and the church cross is still present, a brief historical narrative of the church supporting the marker might be of interest to future finders:
Washington County, Texas experienced a strong influx of Polish immigrants during the 2nd half of the 19th century, with the largest number of Poles settling around the new small town of Chappell Hill. Most of these new arrivals were Catholic, but since the town had no Catholic church as yet they had to ride all the way to Brenham 8-10 miles away in order to attend services at St Mary's.
In 1888, Rev. James Grabinger of St. Mary's announced that a church should be built in Chappell Hill to serve its local community. A prominent Polish Chappell Hill businessman, William Swiatkowski, went to visit Bishop Nicolaus Gallagher in Galveston and received approval for the erection of said church.
The first church of St. Stanislaus -- a simple wooden structure -- was dedicated on November 25, 1894; it got destroyed by the great hurricane of 1900. The second church, a frame structure of 40' x 80', was built in 1901 but destroyed by a fire in 1921.
The third and present church was started in January 1922 and completed in August 1924 at the cost of $40,000. Its large stone structure is Spanish mission style and was built facing south where the burned (2nd) rectory once stood.
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Below are some additional facts, per the NGS database (with some editing for length): (
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BM0989 ***********************************************************************
BM0989 DESIGNATION - CHAPEL HILL CATH CHURCH DOME
BM0989 PID - BM0989
BM0989 STATE/COUNTY- TX/WASHINGTON
BM0989 COUNTRY - US
BM0989 USGS QUAD - CHAPPELL HILL (1989)
BM0989
BM0989 *CURRENT SURVEY CONTROL
BM0989 ______________________________________________________________________
BM0989* NAD 83(1993) POSITION- 30 07 59.84688(N) 096 15 13.36873(W) ADJUSTED
BM0989* NAVD 88 ORTHO HEIGHT - **(meters) **(feet)
BM0989 ______________________________________________________________________
BM0989
BM0989_MARKER: 87 = DOME
BM0989
BM0989 HISTORY - Date Condition Report By
BM0989 HISTORY - 1954 FIRST OBSERVED CGS
BM0989 HISTORY - 19940820 GOOD USPSQD
BM0989 HISTORY - 19941105 GOOD USPSQD
BM0989 HISTORY - 19991009 GOOD USPSQD
BM0989 HISTORY - 20040327 GOOD USPSQD