Old St. Mary's Church (Tempe, Arizona) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
(Old St. Mary's Church) |
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(2018)
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 Location in Arizona
Location in the United States
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| Location | 230 E. University Ave., Tempe, Arizona |
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| Area | 0.5 acres (0.20 ha) |
| Built | 1903 |
| Architect | Father Severin Westhoff |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78000552 |
| Added to NRHP | January 30, 1978 |
Old St. Mary's Church, also known as "The Old Church," is a very old and important building in Tempe, Arizona. It was once called Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church. This historic church was built in 1903 and designed by Father Severin Westhoff.
It is the oldest church still standing in the Phoenix metropolitan area. For many years, it was a Catholic church for the people of Tempe. In 1968, it became part of the Arizona State University Newman Center. Today, it is home to Mary College at ASU, which is a center for Catholic Studies. This college works with the University of Mary, Arizona State University, the Diocese of Phoenix, and the All Saints Catholic Newman Center. The Newman Center's offices and chapel are right next to the old church.
In 1978, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places as "Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church." It is a special example of Romanesque Revival architecture in Tempe and one of only a few in Arizona.
History of the Church
The church building you see today was finished in 1903. It replaced an older chapel made of adobe, which is a type of mud brick. That first chapel was built in 1881 for the Mexican people living in a village called San Pablo, near Hayden Butte.
By 1891, Tempe became part of St. Mary's parish in Phoenix. That's why the name "St. Mary's" is on the new brick church. This new church was built for both the growing number of Anglo (English-speaking) members and the older Mexican members. Most of the people who built the church were volunteers, except for two skilled bricklayers from Phoenix.
Building Style and Features
This church is a great example of Territorial Victorian Romanesque Revival architecture. It was built using bricks made from clay mixed with red soil from Fort McDowell. The church stands on a strong foundation of stone taken from the bottom of Hayden Butte.
The building has twelve tall, arched stained-glass windows. Two are at the front, and five are on each side. There is also a beautiful stained-glass fanlight above the main door.
The church is about 77 by 40 feet (23 m × 12 m) in size. It has a steep, pointed roof and a square bell tower with an eight-sided steeple. The tower is above the double-door entrance and holds a bell made in St. Louis in 1903 just for this church. Inside, there is a choir loft above the entrance area and a full basement, which is partly underground.
Changes Over Time
The inside of the church was updated between 1937 and 1941. A house for the church's priest was also built. By 1957, the church community had grown so much that a new, larger church was needed. This new church, along with a rectory (priest's house), school, and convent (nuns' home), was built on 10 acres of land given to the church.
The old church building was sold to the Newman Catholic Center in 1962 for $60,000. Church services continued there until 1968, when the city of Tempe said that large groups could no longer meet in the building. At one point, the church was almost sold to make space for a hamburger restaurant!
Between 2019 and 2020, Mary College at ASU and the All Saints Catholic Newman Center worked together to renovate the inside of the church. They added new paint and a mural of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The mural includes her famous words to St. Juan Diego: "Am I not here, I who have the honor of being your mother?"
Today, as part of Mary College at ASU, the historic church is used as a study library. It can also be changed into a lecture hall or a space for events. The lower level has classrooms, offices, and computers for students.
See also
