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The
first church building was constructed in 1873. Polish and German-Russian
immigrants created the need for Rev. Joseph Klein to be appointed
as resident pastor in 1894. Cordelia Baker donated 10 acres of land
to the Galveston
diocese to be used for a German Catholic Church in Plantersville.
In 1894 a small building was constructed under the name Nativity of
the Blessed Virgin Mary.
The Rev. George Wilhelm became pastor in 1907 and St. Mary's split
into separate Polish and German congregations. The Poles founded St.
Joseph's Church in nearby Stoneham.
The Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was struck by lightning and
burned in 1917 while Rev. George Apel was pastor. The church was replaced
within the year by the building shown here. The church building became
a registered Texas Historic Landmark in 2001.
Source: The Texas Historic Commission's Atlas of Historic Texas Places |
More
interior views of the painted church
Photos courtesy Michael Duran, 2006 |
St.
Mary's Catholic Church, another view
Photo courtesy Michael Duran, 2006 |
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