Summary
Saint Martin of Tours Catholic Church (French: Église catholique Saint Martin de Tours) is a historic church at 133 S. Main Street in Saint Martinville, Louisiana. The church was added to the National Register in 1972.[1]
Saint Martin of Tours Catholic Church | |
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| Location | 133 S. Main St., Saint Martinville, Louisiana |
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| Coordinates | 30°7′22″N 91°49′41″W / 30.12278°N 91.82806°W |
| Area | 4.1 acres (1.7 ha) |
| Built | 1840 |
| Architect | Robert R. Benson |
| Architectural style | Romanesque |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001454[1] |
| Added to NRHP | April 10, 1972 |
The church was founded in 1765 by Acadian refugees settling in Atakapa country; the first church was probably designed by French military engineer Lieutenant Louis Andry. The church was incorporated in 1814 by an act of the Louisiana legislature. Another act passed in 1820 authorized the congregation to run a lottery to raise funds to build a new church. Completed in 1840, the current building was consecrated in 1844.[2]
It was built originally as a simple rectangular plan church of the Roman basilica type, with the nave separated by a row of Doric columns from side aisles. It was expanded in the 1870s by addition of transepts and a semi-circular apse as well as by extension of the nave.[2]
Next to the church is a monument dedicated to the Militiamen of St. Martinville who fought in General Bernardo de Galvez's army at the Battle of Baton Rouge. 36 of the militiamen were French Creoles, three were Acadians, and three colonial Americans, one's citizenship is not known. The monument was erected by the Louisiana Daughters of the American Revolution.
References edit
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. July 9, 2010.
- ^ a b "Saint Martin de Tours Catholic Church" (PDF). State of Louisiana's Division of Historic Preservation. 1972. Retrieved August 2, 2017. with two photos and a map