Holy Cross Catholic Church

Holy Cross Catholic Church This church was established by Polish families who first came to Texas in the 1850s and settled in Panna Maria, then migrated to this area. A group of Polish Catholics split from the primarily German Catholic Church in Meyersville and joined the Catholic Church in Yorktown. By 1867, there were 13 Polish households as members of the Yorktown congregation, and the time had come to build a new church facility. In 1867, Anton and Lucyia Koszielsky deeded land at this site to the church, and the building that was constructed was dedicated to St. Mary. After it burned in 1915, the parish hired architect F. B. Gaenslen to design their new building. Completed in 1916, the building utilized the cross from the steeple on the former church and thus came to be called Holy Cross. Construction work was overseen by Falbo Contractors of San Antonio, with much of the labor supplied by parishioners. Gaenslen's design for a simplified Romanesque style church was carried out in red brick, with polychrome brick detailing on the tower. Its Romanesque features are evident in its tower, semi-circular arched windows and corbelled parapet. Since 1916, Holy Cross Catholic Church has served Catholics in Yorktown and the surrounding area. The building stands as an architectural landmark in the region, as it houses the parish's ongoing ministries of worship, education and outreach. Recorded Texas Historic Landmark - 2001

Holy Cross Catholic Church is a historical marker in Yorktown, DeWitt County, dedicated in 2001. It is one of 90 historical markers documented in DeWitt County in the Texas Historical Commission Atlas, among 166 historic sites cataloged across the county.

The site sits at 28.9805, -97.4848 near Yorktown. The nearest cataloged historic site is Holy Cross Catholic Cemetery (historical marker), about 0.2 miles away. Others within a short drive include De Witt County, C. Eckhardt & Sons Building, and Upper Yorktown Cemetery.

This record corresponds to Texas Historical Commission Atlas #5123012794. Use the map below for its exact position and turn-by-turn directions.