St. Teresa of Avila Church (Bodega, California) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saint Teresa of Avila Church
Saint Teresa of Avila Church
Location	Bodega, California, United States
Built	1859
Governing body	Roman Catholic
California Historical Landmark
Reference no.	820

Saint Teresa of Avila Church is a beautiful old Roman Catholic church located in Bodega, California. You can easily spot this white, wooden church with its tall steeple sitting on a hilltop. It looks out over Bodega Highway.

The Church's Story

This special church was built in 1860 by shipbuilders. The land for the church was given by a person named Jasper O’Farrell. Local people from Spain and Portugal named it after St. Teresa of Avila.

The church was officially opened on June 2, 1861, by Archbishop Alemany. At first, it was part of the Archdiocese of San Francisco. Today, it belongs to the Diocese of Santa Rosa in California.

Saint Teresa of Avila Church is a California Historical Landmark. It is still used today and is the oldest church in Sonoma County that has been used continuously.

How the Church Grew

In 1872, the church building became bigger. Workers carefully cut the church in half! Then, they pulled the two parts away from each other. They built new walls, a new ceiling, and added beautiful stained glass windows to fill the space.

In 1886, a very heavy bell was added to the church's bell tower. This bell weighed 850 pounds! However, it was too heavy for the tower, so it had to be removed.

Inside the Church

The inside of Saint Teresa of Avila Church is a bit unusual. Instead of one main aisle down the middle, it has two aisles on the sides.

A Star on Screen

The church has even been featured in famous works! In 1953, the famous photographer Ansel Adams took a black and white picture of the church.

The church is also right next to the Bodega schoolhouse. This schoolhouse was used in Alfred Hitchcock's 1963 movie, The Birds. The church itself also appeared in the film, and Hitchcock even attended services there.