Margaret informed L . L . that she would not move to Marathon unless there was a Catholic church in town . The year was 1900 and mail order houses and churches could be ordered and delivered by train . Looking for a way to get a church in a timely manner , since this marriage request was vital to their move , he turned to one of the providers who sold church kits . The kit arrived by train in pieces with a thick instruction booklet that had construction details . L . L .’ s older brother , along with local Catholics , many of whom were of Mexican heritage , began the assembly . In order to save on costs , L . L . did not order bricks for the siding , for it was decided that the outer walls would be adobe , a much-used housing material in early West Texas . Thus St . Mary ’ s became one of the several White Churches scattered throughout the country .
L . L . paid for the church , and it is said that he and his family lived in the back of the store for three years before later being in sufficient financial shape to buy a local home in Marathon . The church became St . Mary ’ s Parish , and eventually a residence was built on the back of it for a local priest to reside .
The church has been lovingly maintained throughout the resident artist , Maisie Lee , was commissioned to carve new doors for the church . Maisie had immigrated to the United States from Australia with her family as a young girl , and had originally settled with them at Hot Springs in what is now Big Bend National Park . Always of an artistic bent , she decorated the interior of the guest houses at the health spa with folkloric murals there , which can still be seen . At the same time that Maisie carved the doors for the Catholic church , she also provided doors for the Methodist and Baptist churches down the street . The Sacred Heart and Virgin Mary were chosen for the relief on the doors . In the 1990 ’ s , replacement pews were ordered from a supplier and a new crucifix was bought to adorn the back wall . Recently , paneling on the left side interior had to be removed while a water leak was repaired . The exposed adobe was visible for several months . At the same time , the church exterior was refurbished with a new coat of paint .
St . Mary ’ s is now a mission church within Our Lady Queen of Peace in Alpine , the primary headquarters for Marathon , Marfa and Valentine . The Parish is currently blessed to have three priests serving the four communities . � years . Original pews were made locally and different interior furniture and sacred objects were ordered . In the 1960 ’ s a
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