Photo of Our Lady of Visitation in Santa Maria, Texas from Old Military Road (US 281) is an endangered historic building worth preserving. It was built by the Missionary Oblate Fathers of Texas from plans drawn by Father Peter I. Keralum twenty years after his death. Keralum built the Gothic Revival Cathedral in Brownsville, Texas. It was built using locally made bricks and wood from nearby trees along Rio Grande. Its steeple was lost after the Hurricane of 1933. Services were held here until the 1970s after-which it was occasionally opened by caretakers until 1991. It has been permanently closed since 1995.
2017 Oct photo of church boarded up with a "new" roof that was installed to protect the building form further deterioration. Preservationists from Brownsville, Texas met with a representative of the Cameron County Historical Association and Brownsville Diocese to take a look at the inside.
A pile of bricks waiting to be reused. Note the bracing in arch doorway and framing along wall to support roof. The walls were not deemed sturdy enough to support weight of new roof which was placed on it about two years ago.
Extensive bracing to support archway shown here.
The alter was miraculously undamaged by the elements which were allowed to seep in over the years.
It appears as if someone tried to fill-in bricks with cement to prevent further deterioration. Photo by Maria Salinas
1977 photo by Joe Von Hatten showing church alter
1977 photo by Joe Von Hatten
Pre 1933 photo record shared by Joe Von Hatten
Watch video of Santa Maria, Texas recorded in 2000 on YouTube. Thanks to Leo Rodriguez for providing **LINK**
Watch video of Santa Maria, Texas recorded in 2000 on YouTube. Thanks to Leo Rodriguez for providing **LINK**
Niceeee was trying to find photos of the interior of this church everywhere. I was lucky to find this blog. Thank you
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