St. Joseph Catholic Church

Although Catholic worship services were celebrated in Bryan by 1869, this church traces its history to the early 1870s. The first church building was erected about 1871 for a small active parish. The Reverend John Moore is considered to be the first full-time pastor of St. Joseph Church of Bryan. Fire destroyed the church structure in 1876. The congregation held worship services in temporary quarters in a local store building until a new location was established. In 1883 the Masonic schoolhouse was purchased for $500 and converted into a church at a cost of about $1,200. In 1904 a new frame edifice replaced the converted schoolhouse. Another structure was built at East 26th and Preston Streets as the congregation grew. A new church building was dedicated here in 1960. Programs have been provided for church members and the community for decades, including traditional spiritual activites and social outreach support. St. Joseph Church has grown from a frontier mission with a few members to a large urban parish with more than 1600 family members. The church continues to have a strong presence in Bryan as it has for more than a century. (1997)

St. Joseph Catholic Church is a historical marker in Bryan, Brazos County, dedicated in 1997. It is one of 54 historical markers documented in Brazos County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 172 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 30.6641, -96.3611 near Bryan. The nearest cataloged historic site is Site of Odd Fellows University and Orphans Home (historical marker), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include First Presbyterian Church, Woman's Club, and Edge, Eugene, House.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5041008694. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.