Endangered Maryland 2009

9. ST. PATRICK’S CATHOLIC CHURCH Too many of our historic buildings are lost due to neglect, laments William Paré. This diminishes our cultural heritage and deprives future generations of the landmarks that made this country great. Paré, of the St. Patrick’s Chapel Historical Society, nominated the 190year-old St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, the second-oldest original Catholic worship site on the Delmarva Peninsula and one of America’s oldest Catholic churches. While the original slate roof still shelters the building, nearly 200 years of the elements have taken a toll on the rest of the exterior, much of which is wood. Listed on the rolls of the Cecil County Historical Sites and Maryland Historical Register, this small wooden building was constructed in 1819 by Irish immigrants, those same men who dug the canals and piloted the barges between central Pennsylvania and the Chesapeake Bay, notes Paré. These immigrants not only worked the canals; they also were busy in early lumbering and stone quarry industries in the lower Susquehanna River. St. Patrick’s, near Conowingo, was their church. Beyond simple historical significance, Paré points out, St. Patrick’s stands as a testimonial to our Constitution and Bill of Rights. “When this church was built, the Irish people were disenfranchised in their homeland. They could neither vote nor worship as they pleased. They were deprived of worship sites. Here in the U.S., they were free to worship and build their own church—rights guaranteed by the Bill of Rights, a document only 30 years old when St. Patrick’s was built. St. Patrick’s is a reflection of that new freedom. For that reason alone, St. Patrick’s must be saved.” Father Jay McKee, of the Catholic Diocese of Wilmington, which owns the property, agrees. “The church speaks to founding fathers and mothers of Cecil County and adds to the value of the history and richness within the area as the second-oldest church structure in the state of Maryland. The Irish immigrants that settled in that area had a good hand in giving us a great beginning for a good shepherd church.” Further, notes McKee, “The architecture fits the community and is a good sitting memorial of those who worked the land. St. Patrick’s represents a time when many working hands made light work. People came together to worship and to bury their dead. They came together to make a testimonial to all of those who would come after them.” Fundraising for the church began in late 2007. Since that time, numerous individuals, organizations, and businesses have provided financial support. More, however, is needed to complete the restoration process, says Paré.

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10 New Sites Worth Saving Endangered Maryland 2009 Meet the Endangered Maryland Selection Committee 1. Brumbaugh-Kendle-Grove Farmstead 2. Falkland Apartments 3. Friendship Hall Linwood Village 4. Handsell 5. High Winds Gun Club 7. The Mechanic Theatre 8. Mount Nebo African Methodist Episcopal Church 9. St. Patrick's Catholic Church 10. Upton Mansion Historical Community Awards Endangered Maryland 2008 Update

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