St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church (Wilmington, Delaware)

St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, January 2010
Location 6th and Pine Sts., Wilmington, Delaware
Coordinates 39°44′21″N 75°32′39″W / 39.739125°N 75.544043°W / 39.739125; -75.544043Coordinates: 39°44′21″N 75°32′39″W / 39.739125°N 75.544043°W / 39.739125; -75.544043
Area less than one acre
Built 1858
Architect McCloskey, Charles
NRHP reference # 76000580[1]
Added to NRHP December 12, 1976

St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a historic Roman Catholic church located at 6th and Pine Streets in Wilmington, New Castle County, Delaware. It was built in 1858 and is a brick church building trimmed in limestone and measuring about 100 feet long and 60 feet wide. The front facade features three brick towers; two corner ones are set diagonally, with onion-shaped domes topped with crosses and the center square tower (built 1881), now used as a belfry, has arched louvred openings. The dome on the center tower replaced an original wooden belfry and smaller dome destroyed by fire in March 1966. A parochial Catholic school, St. Mary's, was built on the adjacent property in 1866. St. Mary's is the only church in Delaware associated with Saint John Neumann, Bishop of Philadelphia 1852-1860, who consecrated it in 1859. The church and school were the principal institution for the education and integration of thousands of Irish immigrants in Wilmington, most of whom lived in the parish upon first arriving.[2]

The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976.[1]

History

St. Mary's was established in 1858. As Wilmington was, at that time, part of the Diocese of Philadelphia, the church was consecrated by Bishop John Neumann.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 National Park Service (2009-03-13). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
  2. Donn Devine (May 1976). "National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church". and Accompanying four photos
  3. "About Us", St. Mary's and St. Patrick's, Wilmington, Delaware


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