St. Joseph Catholic Church (Roxbury, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church Complex
|
|
One of the former parish buildings, now housing
|
|
 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Roxbury, Boston, Massachusetts |
|---|---|
| Built | 1845 |
| Architect | Patrick C. Keeley |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 89002169 |
| Added to NRHP | December 28, 1989 |
St. Joseph Catholic Church was once a busy church in the Roxbury area of Boston, Massachusetts. It was part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston, which is like a large group of Catholic churches in the area. The church first opened its doors in 1845, and a church building was built that same year.
The church wasn't just one building. It was a whole group of buildings, including the church itself, a rectory (where the priests lived), a convent (where nuns lived), and a school for children. This entire group of buildings was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it was recognized as an important historical site in the United States. The church closed in 2002, and the property was later sold.
The Church's History
St. Joseph Catholic Church was an important place for the community in Roxbury for many years. When it was built in 1845, it served many people, especially immigrants who were new to the area. The church complex grew over time, adding buildings like the school to help serve the families in the neighborhood.
The church buildings show different styles of architecture. For example, some parts might have looked like the "Second Empire" style, which was popular in the mid-1800s. Other parts might have shown "Romanesque" features, which often include round arches and strong, thick walls. These styles tell us about the time period when the buildings were created.
The Forgotten Cemetery Mystery
Back in the 1800s, it was common for churches to have their own cemeteries. St. Joseph's Church had one too, and it was officially blessed in 1850. Many people were buried there, mostly Irish immigrants from a place called County Donegal. About 600 people found their final resting place in this small cemetery.
However, the cemetery was quite small, and it filled up quickly by 1868. Over time, people started to forget about it. By 1887, when the church built a grammar school right next to it, it seemed no one remembered the cemetery was there. It looked like just an empty field with no gravestones to be seen.
Discovery and New Home
The forgotten cemetery remained a secret for many years. Then, in the 1990s, something interesting happened. A construction team was digging a trench and found a gravestone! They stopped digging, but they didn't find any other old items at that time.
The mystery continued in 2006. The church property had been sold, and the new owners needed to be sure there were no human remains left on the site. When a bone was found, the Massachusetts Historical Commission stepped in to investigate. They soon discovered the forgotten graves!
All the remains found at St. Joseph Cemetery were carefully moved. They were re-buried at Calvary Cemetery in Waltham. This way, the people who were buried long ago finally had a proper, recognized resting place again.
