St. Mary's Complex (Taunton, Massachusetts) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Complex
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Location | Taunton, Massachusetts |
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Area | 7 acres (2.8 ha) |
Built | 1868 |
Architect | Patrick C. Keely; Maginnis, Walsh and Sullivan |
Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
MPS | Taunton MRA |
NRHP reference No. | 84002211 |
Added to NRHP | July 5, 1984 |
The St. Mary's Complex is a group of old and important buildings in Taunton, Massachusetts. It includes a Roman Catholic Church, a rectory (where priests live), a convent (where nuns live), and a school. This church was the first Catholic church in Taunton, started in 1830. The main church building you see today was finished in 1868. It was designed by a famous architect named Patrick C. Keely. Because of its history and beautiful design, the whole complex was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history.
Contents
Exploring St. Mary's Church Buildings
The St. Mary's Church is on a special piece of land in Taunton. It is a very large building made of stone. The church is built in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old European churches. It has a tall, square tower at the front. The sides of the church have strong supports called buttresses. The main part of the church has a pointed roof. This church was designed by Patrick Keely. It was finished in 1868. It is the third church building for this group of people.
Other Buildings in the Complex
Across the street from the church is the rectory. This is a brick building where the priests live. It was built in 1903. The first church building used to stand here. That old church was moved to another part of Taunton.
On the other side of the street are two more buildings. One is the school, which is three stories tall. It was built in 1907. The school was designed by architects named Maginnis, Walsh and Sullivan. Next to the school is the convent. This is a three-story brick building where nuns used to live. It was added in 1912.
A Look at St. Mary's History
The St. Mary's church group started in 1830. It was created by Irish Catholic people. They came to Taunton to work in the factories and businesses. At first, they met in people's homes. Then, in 1832, they built a wooden church. This first church was located where the rectory is now.
Sadly, this church burned down in 1856. But the community quickly rebuilt it. When the new rectory was built, the old church was moved. It became known as St. Charles Hall. All the other Catholic churches in Taunton started from this first St. Mary's church. It is like the "mother church" for the area.
Past Leaders of St. Mary's
Many priests have led the St. Mary's church over the years. Here are some of the past priests:
- Reverend James Coyle (1896-1931)
- Reverend James Dolan (1935-1969)
- Reverend James Lyons (1969-1976)
- Reverend Paul Connolly (1976-1999)
- Reverend Francis Kowaski, C.S.C (1999-2004)
- Reverend William Kelly, C.S.C (2004-2010)
- Reverend James Doherty C.S.C (2010–present)