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Church of the Visitation (Westphalia, Texas)

Coordinates: 31°07′22″N 97°06′52″W / 31.122707°N 97.114536°W / 31.122707; -97.114536
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Church of the Visitation
Church of the Visitation
Church of the Visitation (Westphalia, Texas) is located in Texas
Church of the Visitation (Westphalia, Texas)
Church of the Visitation (Westphalia, Texas) is located in the United States
Church of the Visitation (Westphalia, Texas)
LocationRoughly bounded by Co. Rt. 383, Pond Cr., Co. Rts. 377, 368, 372, 373, and the Falls Co. western boundary line, Westphalia, Texas
Coordinates31°07′22″N 97°06′52″W / 31.122707°N 97.114536°W / 31.122707; -97.114536
Built1895
Part ofWestphalia Rural Historic District (ID96000524[1])
Added to NRHPMay 15, 1996

The Church of the Visitation, in Westphalia, Texas, was once the largest wooden structure west of the Mississippi River. This Catholic church in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Austin, completed in 1895, has twin towers which can be seen for miles. A school was constructed in 1896 and operated as a parochial school until 1935.[2]

The church received official recognition with the erection of an official Texas Historical Marker on December 31, 1978. On May 15, 1996, the community was recognized as the Westphalia Rural Historic District. The district is now listed in the National Register of Historic Places.[3][4]

On July 29, 2019, the building caught fire and burned to the ground.[5]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
  2. ^ WESTPHALIA, TEXAS Handbook of Texas Online
  3. ^ Parish History The Church of the Visitation Website
  4. ^ WESTPHALIA, TEXAS Texas Escapes
  5. ^ Lopez, Lisette (July 29, 2019). "Multiple agencies respond to historic church fire in Westphalia". kxxv.com. The E.W. Scripps Co. Retrieved July 29, 2019.