Lamar in Aransas County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)

Stella Maris Chapel

Photographed by Norman Frank, March 19, 2012

1. Stella Maris Chapel Marker

Inscription. Irish immigrant James W. Byrne (1787 – 1865), a veteran of the Texas Revolution, was an early settler of this area. He established the town of Lamar and with his wife Harriet, sold land on Aransas Bay to the Catholic Church for a chapel site. Byrne engaged a French architect to design the structure, which was completed in 1858. Called Stella Maris (Star of the Sea) Chapel, it was built of shellcrete, a shell-aggregate masonry. An important link with the area’s early Roman Catholic Heritage, the chapel was moved to this site in 1986.
Texas Sesquicentennial 1836-1986

Erected 1986 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 5103.)

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Religion & Religious Structures • War, Texas Independence. A significant historical year for this entry is 1858.

Location. 28° 8.581′ N, 96° 59.323′ W. Marker is in Lamar, Texas, in Aransas County. It can be reached from Hagy Drive 0.1 miles east of Charlotte Avenue, on the left when traveling east. The chapel is north of the Fire Station. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 222 Hagy Dr, Rockport TX 78382, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is on the American Gulf Coast.

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,

and one of the Confederate States of America.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: The Lamar Cemetery (a few steps from

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this marker); John Fagan (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of the Town of Lamar (approx. half a mile away); Lamar Volunteer Fire Department (approx. 0.6 miles away); Built to Last (approx. 0.9 miles away); Using what's Available (approx. 0.9 miles away); Mills Wharf (approx. 1.2 miles away); Site of One of the Homes of James Power (approx. 3.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lamar.

Stella Maris Chapel image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Norman Frank, March 19, 2012

2. Stella Maris Chapel

Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on March 19, 2012. This page has been viewed 1,924 times since then and 64 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 19, 2012. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.