Austin Churches

St. Georges Episcopal Church, to the east, was consecrated in 1878.  The Reverend Blackiston used an eloquent, enthusiastic Easter sermon in 1877 to secure pledges for church, retaining wall, pipe organ, and bell and for a twenty-dollar gold piece from every employee or a local mine. The organ was shipped around the Horn and hauled by wagon from San Francisco.

St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, to the west, was built in 1866 of native brick and stone.  Father Monteverde, the first pastor, conducted the first mass at midnight Christmas Eve, 1866.  Admission of $1 per person was charged to limit the number of people attending.

The Methodist Church, to the north, was built in 1666.  A canny minister formed the Methodist Company, and sold stock as Far away as the East Coast to finance the building of the church. Lectures and entertainment were part of the church scene for benefit purposes.  Emma Wixom attended Sunday school here.  Later, as world-famous Emma Nevada, she brought her troupe to Austin and gave a benefit concert in the church.

STATE HISTORICAL MAKER NO.  67

STATE HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICE

AUSTIN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE