St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex (Waltham, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex
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2025
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 Location in Massachusetts
Location in the United States
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| Location | 133 School Street, Waltham, Massachusetts |
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| Area | 4.8 acres (1.9 ha) |
| Built | 1858 |
| Architect | Cowen & Hanrahan; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Colonial Revival, Second Empire, Romanesque |
| MPS | Waltham MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 89001527 |
| Added to NRHP | September 28, 1989 |
The St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Complex is a special group of historic buildings. It is located at 133 School Street in Waltham, Massachusetts. This church community, called a parish, began in 1835. This makes it the oldest Roman Catholic church in Waltham. The main church building was completed in 1872. It shows off a beautiful Romanesque Revival style. The rectory, where the priests live, was built in 1882. It is a great example of the Second Empire style. Because of its history and architecture, the complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
What is the St. Mary's Complex?
The St. Mary's Complex is on School Street. It is just west of Lexington Street. This location is one block north of Waltham's Central Square. The property also reaches north to Pond Street. The oldest building here is the brick church. Its construction started in 1858. It was finally finished in 1872. More work to make the church bigger began in 1875.
A Look at the Buildings
The rectory was built between 1882 and 1883. It is one of the best examples of the Second Empire style in Waltham. This building also includes an old carriage house. A school for the church was built later in the 1880s. That school was taken down in the 1970s. A high school with a Classical Revival style was built in the 1920s. An education center was added behind the church in the 1930s. It has a Georgian Revival style.
The Church's Story
The St. Mary's parish was started in 1835. It was created to serve the many Irish Catholic people moving to the city. The first church building was made of wood. It was built soon after the parish began. Sadly, that wooden church burned down in 1846. This fire made the church move to Watertown for a while. The parish returned to Waltham when the current church was built.
See also
