Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church

In 1911, Houston's Church of the Immaculate Conception sent four Oblate priests to establish a mission church to serve the city's Spanish-speaking population. At that time, Houston's Mexican community was growing rapidly, absorbing many refugees that were fleeing the Revolution of 1910. After purchasing this block, the Oblates built a wood-frame structure here and named it for Mexico's patron saint. The building served as both church and school, and services and classes were in Spanish. Sr. Benitia Vermeerch began a 23-year career as school principal in 1915, and later founded the Missionary Catechists of Divine Providence. In 1921, when the mission was elevated to parish status, one of the four founding priests, Father Esteban de Anta, a native of Spain, became the first pastor. Construction on a second church building commenced that year, and it was dedicated two years later. In 1973 the Sacred Heart order assumed responsibility for the church, but its traditional role ministering to immigrant communities remained the same. Still a focal point for Houston's Mexican American community, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church became the home church to many Central American and Vietnamese refugees in the 1970s.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church is a historical marker in Houston, Harris County, dedicated in 1991. It is one of 422 historical markers documented in Harris County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 849 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 29.7591, -95.3452 near Houston. The nearest cataloged historic site is St Vincent de Paul (cemetery), about under a tenth of a mile away. Others within a short drive include Samuel Paschall, Myers-Spalti Manufacturing Plant, and Hill Street Bridge over Buffalo Bayou.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5201010749. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.