St. Thomas Catholic Church
Big Spring, Howard County, Texas
Marker Inscription
Organized in 1883 under the leadership of The Rev. H. A. Boniface, the first Catholic parish in Big Spring was named St. Mary's. A small frame sanctuary was built and early services were conducted in English, German, and Spanish. The need for a larger place of worship resulted in the construction of this building. Completed in 1911 under the direction of J. M. Morgan, it was dedicated to St. Thomas, the native stone structure features an extended center entry tower, Gothic arched windows, side buttresses, and corner limestone quoins. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 1988.
Erected by Texas Historical Commission
The Story
As the railroad pushed West Texas settlement in the 1880s, Big Spring drew a mix of Anglo, German, and Hispanic families, and its first Catholic parish held Mass in three languages. Organized in 1883 as St. Mary's, the congregation outgrew its frame sanctuary and completed this Gothic-influenced native-stone church in 1911, rededicated to St. Thomas. Its entry tower, buttresses, and limestone quoins anchored the town's early religious life.
Why it matters
It captures the multiethnic character of West Texas railroad towns and the role of the church in binding together English-, German-, and Spanish-speaking settlers.
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Related people
- · H. A. Boniface
Themes & tags
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