St. Joseph Historic German Catholic Church at Honey Creek, Texas
.JPG "the altar at St. Joseph's Historic German Catholic Church, Honey Creek, Texas") |
| the altar at St. Joseph Historic German Catholic Church, Honey Creek, Texas |
St. Joseph Historic German Catholic Church
Honey Creek (near San Antonio), Texas
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| St. Joseph German Catholic Church, Honey Creek, Texas |
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Honey Creek, TX
In Comal County, Texas, 35 miles from San Antonio, the quiet little town of Bulverde is home to a population of 5,692 and a fascinating German pioneer history.
The St. Joseph Church at Honey Creek is a Roman Catholic parish with a long history dating back to the German pioneer days of the mid 19th century.
.JPG "the old stone church was built by German pioneers in the Texas Hill Country") |
| the old stone church was built by German pioneers in the Texas Hill Country |
Originally built as a simple log chapel, a "new" stone chapel seating 200 was built in 1876 after a fire destroyed the original building. While a new, modern church building (albeit in a similar architectural style to pay homage to the old chapel) has since been built to accommodate a growing congregation, the little stone chapel still stands and is open to visitors and worshipers.
.JPG "historic cemetery at St. Joseph's Church, Honey Creek") |
| historic cemetery at St. Joseph Church, Honey Creek |
The stone chapel is a fine example of a Texas "painted church", an architectural art style embraced by German and Czech immigrants in central Texas.
.JPG "the sanctuary at St. Joseph's Church, Honey Creek") |
| the sanctuary at St. Joseph Church, Honey Creek |
Stained glass windows were expensive and would have needed to be shipped in from craftsmen in Europe. The pioneers instead opted to paint the walls of their churches in beautiful colors, giving the area behind the altar a celestial appearance.
.JPG "inside the sanctuary at St. Joseph's Church")
.JPG "votive candles and Catholic altar")
Other interesting central Texas pioneer churches
Central Texas is famous for its European pioneer churches - mostly those constructed by the 19th century Czech and German immigrants who settled the Hill Country.
.JPG "beautiful stained glass windows at St. Joseph's historic church at Honey Creek") |
| beautiful stained-glass windows at St. Joseph historic church at Honey Creek |
Traveler's Tips
Guadalupe River State Park is beautiful. The park is close to San Antonio and makes for a wonderful overnight or weekend camping getaway. It is also home to the best state park toilets and shower facilities I've ever seen. Absolutely recommended, especially in the summer, when you can play in the cool waters of the Guadalupe River. If you're lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the colorful and elusive Painted Bunting, a brightly colored bird with a beautiful singing voice who makes this part of the Hill Country home during certain parts of the year.
.JPG "Guadalupe River State Park is close to San Antonio, Texas") |
| Guadalupe River State Park is close to San Antonio, Texas |
.JPG "campers swimming and relaxing at Guadalupe River State Park, Texas") |
| campers swimming and relaxing at Guadalupe River State Park, Texas |
When you are visiting San Antonio, I also highly recommend paying a visit to San Antonio Missions National Historical Park, where you can learn about the history of the early Spanish settlements in what is now Texas.
Visiting St. Joseph Catholic Church at Honey Creek, Texas
St. Joseph Church is located in Bulverde, Texas not far from San Antonio (about 45 minutes to an hour by car), and close to Guadalupe River State Park.
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