|
|
PANNA
MARIA, TEXAS
A Polish Ghost
Town in Texas
Karnes County, South Texas
FM 81 just off Hwy 123
5 miles W of Helena
60 miles SE of San Antonio
Population: less
than 100
|
|
|
This
building, now used as a barn, was the first Polish house in Panna
Maria (c. 1858) The steep roof was a Silesian design to prevent the
accumulation of snow.
Photo
by John Troesser 5-01 |
History in
a Pecan Shell
Panna Maria is polish for Virgin Mary. It is the oldest permanent
Polish settlement in the entire U.S.
A Polish missionary Father Leo Moczygemba had been preaching
to scattered immigrants around Bandera
Texas in the 1840s. After witnessing the successes of his German
parishioners, he decided that his fellow Poles would thrive in Texas
as well. He wrote back to his father in Silesia. |
|
|
The Store/Post Office was once the barn of John Twohig
Photo
by John Troesser 5-01 |
|
|
The Panna Maria Visitor's Center
Photo
by John Troesser 5-01 |
| In 1854, the
first group of immigrants arrived - including Father Leo's four brothers.
The trip from Poland via Germany took a harrowing three-months.
|
|
|
The Panna Maria
Oaks
Photo
by John Troesser 5-01 |
On Christmas
Eve, 1854 the immigrants huddled together from the cold and Mass
was held under the Live Oak trees that stand today in the churchyard.
Father Moczygemba bought land from a banker in San Antonio named John
Twohig with church money and set aside parcels for the school, church
and the immigrants too poor to afford their own farms. Twohig saw
them coming and sold them land at inflated prices. Land that was selling
in other parts of Karnes County for 1.50 an acre were sold to the
Poles for close to 6.00 per acre. |
|
|
A house on main street
Photo by John Troesser 5-01 |
After a severe
drought and other setbacks, Father Moczygemba was blamed for bringing
the unhappy Poles there and had to leave because of threats to his
life. He went to Michigan, another state with recent Polish immigrants.
He died there, after years of service to the Polish community. In
1974 citizens brought his remains back to be reentered under the same
tree where he once said Mass.
The name Moczygemba still is held by several Panna Marians and many
stones in the cemetery are marked with the family name. One of Father
Leopold's four brothers had ten children. |
|
|
The Panna
Maria Cemetery
To get to the
Panna Maria Cemetery, go just south of the church to the large white
community buildings and turn West. The road will lead straight to
the cemetery gate after about a quarter mile.
The oldest part of the cemetery is obvious due to the taller and more
elaborate tombstones.
Tombstone
with Sculpture
Photo by John Troesser, May 2001 |
| The community
was harassed for its perceived Union sympathies or its failure to
support the Confederacy during the Civil War. The community was so
isolated that strangers passing by on horseback had no idea who they
were or where they were from. |
|
|
At least one grave testifies that Polish immigrants did play a role
in the Civil War
Photo by John Troesser 5-01 |
| At least one
tombstone in the cemetery shows that the Poles did participate to
some degree. One young man (Albert Lyssy) served in the Confederacy,
was captured, released and then placed in the Union Army where he
was wounded and taken prisoner again - this time by the Confederates.
|
The population
dwindled and the town was bypassed by the railroad.
The Community Center still serves the hundreds of former Panna Marians
and descendents for various festivals and holidays.
The Catholic school has been turned over to the
Karnes County ISD. It appears not to be in use. |
|
|
The children's watering trough
Photo
by John Troesser, May 2001 |
|
|
BBQ Pit counter-weights
Photo
by John Troesser, May 2001 |
Nearby Destinations
Within 5 miles
are Helena (another ghost
town) to the East, and Cestohowa
to the North.
From San
Antonio, take Hwy 181 South to FM 81; or take Hwy 87 South to
Hwy 80 South to Helena
to FM 81. Approximately 60 miles drive.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
San
Antonio Hotels |
Panna Maria,
Texas Forum
Greetings
from South Texas
A bit of information for the small town of McCook.
From what I have gathered, McCook was established by some Polish
folks that moved down from Panna Maria, Texas. They established
a small farming community in south Texas and built a nice church.
The folks in McCook are a fine bunch and right neighborly. I grew
up in Edinburg,
about twenty five miles from McCook. I still remember some the the
names of the Polish students that came from McCook. We had the Kotzurs,
the Pavelics, the Pilarziks, the Pavlickas, the Sekulas and the
Kellers to name a few.... more
- Richard Sanchez, August 20, 2006
Anyone wishing
to share history, stories or photos of Pana Maria, Texas, please
contact
us.
Book
Your Hotel Here & Save
San
Antonio Hotels
More
Hotels
© John
Troesser
|
|
|
