Bryan in Brazos County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
St. Joseph Catholic Church
Photographed by James Hulse, April 3, 2021
1. St. Joseph Catholic Church Marker
Although Catholic worship services were celebrated in Bryan by 1869, this church traces its history to the early 1870s. The first church building was erected about 1871 for a small active parish. The Reverend John Moore is considered to be the first full-time pastor of St. Joseph Church of Bryan.
Fire destroyed the church structure in 1876. The congregation held worship services in temporary quarters in a local store building until a new location was established. In 1883 the Masonic schoolhouse was purchased for $500 and converted into a church at a cost of about $1,200. In 1904 a new frame edifice replaced the converted schoolhouse. Another structure was built at East 26th and Preston Streets as the congregation grew. A new church building was dedicated here in 1960.
Programs have been provided for church members and the community for decades, including traditional spiritual activites and social outreach support. St. Joseph Church has grown from a frontier mission with a few members to a large urban parish with more than 1600 family members. The church continues to have a strong presence in Bryan as it has for more than a century.
Erected 1997 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 8694.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Religion & Religious Structures
this page online
Location. 30° 40.407′ N, 96° 22.062′ W. Marker is in Bryan, Texas, in Brazos County. It is at the intersection of North Preston Avenue and East 26th Street on North Preston Avenue. The marker is located on the left side of the front door to the church. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 507 East 26th Street, Bryan TX 77803, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Prairies & Lakes Region. It is also in the American South. Globally, it is in North America, a Gulf of Mexico state, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain, the Republic of Texas, one of the Confederate States of America, and the Antebellum South.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: St. Joseph School (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of Odd Fellows University and Orphans Home (within shouting distance of this marker); First Methodist Church of Bryan (about 800 feet away, measured in a direct line); Town Named for William Joel Bryan (approx. 0.2 miles away); Courthouse Cedar (approx. 0.2 miles away); Brazos County Confederate Commissioners Court (approx. 0.2 miles away); Harvey Mitchell (approx. 0.2 miles away); Brazos County (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bryan.
Photographed by James Hulse, April 3, 2021
2. The front entrance to the St. Joseph Catholic Church with the Marker
Photographed by James Hulse, April 3, 2021
3. The view of the St. Joseph Catholic Church from the street
Credits. This page was last revised on April 6, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 6, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 563 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on April 6, 2021, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
