Lone Star Steeples: Historic Places of Worship in Texas

Pixie Christensen

Texas A&M University Press, Jun 14, 2016 - Architecture - 192 pages

In Lone Star Steeples: Historic Places of Worship in Texas, Carl J. Christensen Jr. and Pixie Christensen present sixty-five captivating and historically significant structures in exquisite watercolor illustrations accompanied by brief summaries and convenient, handcrafted maps. Ranging from stately edifices of brick and stone located in urban centers to more humble wood-frame chapels in rural surroundings, the houses of faith shown in these pages have one important trait in common: They have all served as centers of cultural identity, spiritual comfort, and public service to the communities in which they arose.

In their introduction, the Christensens write, “The journey behind Lone Star Steeples crisscrossed the state along back roads, farm roads, and state highways.  In these journeys and in the stories that were told, certain patterns began to emerge:  the pride of the people in building their churches debt-free, the perseverance of the people who endured their beloved church being destroyed by natural disaster once, twice, or even three times . . . the people’s recognition of the church as their cultural foundation, their moral foundation, their social center.” As the Christensens demonstrate, Texas is home to a remarkable diversity of people, and their places of worship reflect and celebrate that diversity.

Contents

• Saint Josephs Catholic Church Galveston: 2
• Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal: 4
• Grace Episcopal Church Galveston: 6
• Church of the Guardian Angel Wallis: 8
• Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Houston: 10
• Annunciation Catholic Church Houston: 12
• Christ Episcopal Church Matagorda: 14
• First Presbyterian Church Orange: 16
• 2 Historic Churches of East Texas: 19
• Zion Hill Baptist Church Nacogdoches: 20
• Old North Baptist Church Nacogdoches: 22
• Christ Episcopal Church San Augustine: 24
• Jerusalem Memorial Christian Methodist Episcopal Church San Augustine: 26
• Cumberland Presbyterian Church Jefferson: 28
• Union Missionary Baptist Church Jefferson: 30
• First United Methodist Church Pittsburg: 32
• Reeves Chapel Pittsburg: 34
• Saint Beulah Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Pittsburg: 36
• Sacred Heart Catholic Church Palestine: 38
• First Presbyterian Church Palestine: 40
• Shelby Chapel Athens: 44
• Saint Joseph Catholic Church New Waverly: 46
• 3 Historic Churches of North Central Texas: 49
• Saint Olaf Lutheran Church Cranfills Gap: 50
• Our Saviors Lutheran Church Norse: 52
• Saint Marys Episcopal Church Hamilton: 54
• Emanuel Lutheran Church Dallas: 56
• First Presbyterian Church Bonham: 58
• First United Methodist Church Royse City: 60
• Saint Paul United Church of Christ Marlin: 62
• First United Methodist Church Marlin: 64
• Saint Peter Catholic Church Lindsay: 66
• Temple Bethel Corsicana: 68
• McKenzie United Methodist Church Honey Grove: 70
• Our Merciful Saviour Episcopal Church Kaufman: 72
• 4 Historic Churches of South Central Texas: 75
• Church of the Visitation Westphalia: 76
• Wesley Brethren Church Wesley: 78
• Independence Baptist Church Independence: 80
• Liberty Baptist Church Independence: 82
• Saint James Episcopal Church LaGrange: 84
• First Christian Church Lockhart: 86
• Emmanuel Episcopal Church Lockhart: 88
• Saint Marys Church Praha: 90
• Saints Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church Dubina: 92
• Saint Marys Catholic Church Plantersville: 94
• Saint Paul Lutheran Church Serbin: 96
• 5 Historic Churches of the Hill Country: 99
• Hilda United Methodist Church Mason: 100
• Saint Marys Catholic Church Fredericksburg: 102
• Zion Lutheran Church Fredericksburg: 104
• Trinity United Methodist Church Castell: 106
• Saint Louis Catholic Church Castroville: 108
• Grace Episcopal Church LLano: 110
• New Sweden Evangelical Lutheran Church New Sweden: 112
• Bethlehem Lutheran Church Quihi: 114
• Pollys Chapel Bandera: 116
• Saint Stanislaus Catholic Church Bandera: 118
• Saint John Lutheran Church Crabapple: 120
• Art United Methodist Church Art: 122
• First United Methodist Church San Marcos: 124
• Saints Peter and Paul Catholic Church New Braunfels: 126
• First United Methodist Church Bartlett: 128
• Wesley African Methosist Episcopal Church Georgetown: 130
• 6 Historic Churches of South Texas: 133
• San Fernando Cathedral San Antonio: 134
• Mission San José San Antonio: 136
• Immaculate Conception Church Panna Maria: 138
• La Lomita Chapel Mission: 140
• 7 Historic Churches of West Texas and the Panhandle: 143
• Saint John United Methodist Church Stamford: 144
• Saint Stephens Episcopal Church Fort Stockton: 146
• United Methodist Church Channing: 148
• Notes: 151
• Glossary: 153
• Bibliography: 155

About the author

CARL J. CHRISTENSEN JR. has worked as a design architect in Texas, Montana, and California. Since 2007, he and PIXIE have been traveling the state in search of places of worship with unique historical attributes. The Christensens live in the Hill Country.

 

Bibliographic information

• Title: Lone Star Steeples: Historic Places of Worship in Texas; Volume 15 of Clayton Wheat Williams Texas Life Series
• Author: Pixie Christensen
• Illustrated by: Carl J. Christensen
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press, 2016
• ISBN: 1623493935, 9781623493936
• Length: 192 pages
• Subjects: Architecture / Buildings / Religious; Architecture / Regional; Travel / United States / South / West South Central (AR, LA, OK, TX)