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Holy Cross Catholic Church This church was established by Polish families who first came to Texas in the 1850s and settled in Panna Maria, then migrated to this area. A group of Polish Catholics split from the primarily German Catholic Church in Meyersville and joined the Catholic Church in Yorktown. By 1867, there were 13 Polish households as members of the Yorktown congregation, and the time had come to build a new church facility. In 1867, Anton and Lucyia Koszielsky deeded land at this site to the church, and the building that was constructed was dedicated to St. Mary. After it burned in 1915, the parish hired architect F. B. Gaenslen to design their new building. Completed in 1916, the building utilized the cross from the steeple on the former church and thus came to be called Holy Cross. Construction work was overseen by Falbo Contractors of San Antonio, with much of the labor supplied by parishioners. Gaenslen's design for a simplified Romanesque style church was carried out in red brick, with polychrome brick detailing on the tower. Its Romanesque features are evident in its tower, semi-circular arched windows and corbelled parapet. Since 1916, Holy Cross Catholic Church has served Catholics in Yorktown and the surrounding area. The building stands as an architectural landmark in the region, as it houses the parish's ongoing ministries of worship, education and outreach. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001 |
