Loading...
St Pius X Memo to D Akin 07.15.2016 Historic ResourceVozella, Beth From: Vozella, Beth Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 10:55 AM To: Dave Akin Cc: Beverly Bachand; Duncan Oliver (oliver02675@comcast.net); Frederick C. Fries (phredfll @verizon.net); Janice R. Norris(JaniceRacineNorris@comcast.net); Julie Mockabee (vanguard3l @verizon.net); Sarah R. Horne Subject: FW: St. Pius X Church Building Attachments: 7.15.16 Memo to CPC.pdf Hello Dave - Good news!........ The Yarmouth Historical Commission has deemed the original St. Pius X Church building as a "historical resource" making it eligible for applying for Community Preservation funding. The attached memo has been submitted to Jen Copeland for presentation at the next CPC meeting. Congratulations and good luck! -Beth Beth Vozella Office Administrator Yarmouth OKH Committee/Historical Commission Town of Yarmouth 1146 Route 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664-4451 Tel: 508-398-2231 X 1292 Fax: 508-398-0836 From: Vozella, Beth Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 10:25 AM To: Copeland, Jennifer Subject: St. Pius X Church Building Hi Jen- Attached is a memo to the CPC regarding the `historical resource" status of the original St. Pius X Church building located on the corner of Station Avenue and Barbara Street in South Yarmouth. Please present at the next meeting. Let me know should you have any questions. Thanks, Beth Beth Vozella Office Administrator Yarmouth ON Committee/Historical Commission Town of Yarmouth 1146 Route 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664-4451 Tel: 508-398-2231 X 1292 Fax: 508-398-0836 1 Vozella, Both From: Vozella, Beth Sent: Friday, July 15, 2016 10:25 AM To: Copeland, Jennifer Subject: St. Pius X Church Building Attachments: 7.15.16 Memo to CPC.pdf Hi Jen- Attached is a memo to the CPC regarding the `historical resource" status of the original St. Pius X Church building located on the corner of Station Avenue and Barbara Street in South Yarmouth. Please present at the next meeting. Let me know should you have any questions. Thanks, Beth Beth Vozella Office Administrator Yarmouth OKH Committee/Historical Commission Town of Yarmouth 1146 Route 28, South Yarmouth, MA 02664-4451 Tel: 508-398-2231 X 1292 Fax: 508-398-0836 LG` .0. TOWN OF YARMOUTH 1146 ROUTE 28, SOUTH YARMOUTH, MASSACHUSETTS 02664-4451 Telephone (508) 398-2231 Ext. 1292 Fax (508) 398-0836 N OLD KING'S HIGHWAY HISTORIC DISTRICT COMMITTEE TO: Gary Ellis, Chairman Community Preservation Committee FROM: Julie Mockabee, Chairperson Yarmouth Historical Commission DATE: July 15, 2016 RE: St. Pius X Church Deacon David Akin from St. Pius X Church recently asked the Yarmouth Historic Commission to consider declaring the building located at the corner of Station Avenue and Barbara Street in South Yarmouth, as an "historic resource". Mr. Akin is aware that this building, which was the original church built in 1954, is not historic because of its age nor is it listed on the National Register of Historic Places, however his hope was that the story of the church's origins along with the fact that Justice Antonin Scalia was married there on September 10, 1960, would be of adequate importance to qualify as an "historic resource" to the Town of Yarmouth whereby it would then be eligible to apply for CPA funding The YHC members compiled their own research along with what was provided by Deacon Akin and drafted the attached document which explains the origin of St. Pius X Church which was the first Catholic Church established in Yarmouth. At the regular Yarmouth Historical Commission meeting which was held on Thursday, May 6, 2016, the Commission members voted unanimously that this building is symbolic of the social movement of the influx of Catholics to Cape Cod, and therefore is a "historic resource" to the town of Yarmouth. ATTACHMENT Cc: Deacon David Aiken ATTACHMENT St Pius X Church Prepared By: The Yarmouth Historical Commission Research by: The YHC and Deacon David Akin The Catholic church followed the workers on early Cape Cod, having churches where fishermen, glassblowers, and railroad car workers lived and worked. Occasionally, a small chapel might be built, such as the one in Yarmouth Port, built at the request of a domestic worker to her employer who footed a large portion of the costs. After World War 2, with rapid growth in population on the Cape, many faiths started organizing true church buildings of their own, including the Jewish faith, Greek Orthodox, minority and evangelical. During this time, Catholics in Yarmouth had to travel to Harwich or Hyannis or the mission chapel in Yarmouth Port during the off season months when the part-time mission church, Our Lady of the Highway was closed. It served Catholic tourists and locals only during the busy summer season. Thanks in part to the G.I. Bill and low housing rates, Yarmouth's population had exploded from pre-war levels and Yarmouth had become a bedroom community for people working both on Cape and off. Catholic believers felt that they needed a parish and church of their own. Bishop James Connolly of the Fall River Diocese listened to their requests and granted a new parish in Yarmouth. Because it was approved on the same day that Pope Pius X was canonized, May 29, 1954, the parish was named in his honor. Reverend Christopher Broderick was appointed first pastor. While the first church for this parish was being built, Catholics continued worshiping during the first summer at the mission church, Our Lady of the Highway. On August 18, 1954, the new church for the parish was dedicated, although not completed. Services were held in the basement, which turned into a parish hall when the upstairs structure was completed. A ground swell of local support made this possible, doing as much of the work as possible and providing fund-raising, upkeep, and grounds keeping. To deal with the extra -large summer crowds, priests from Boston College, as well as priests vacationing on the Cape, helped with the services. In ten years, the mortgage for this building was paid off. It wasn't long before Yarmouth Catholics realized that their church building wouldn't be able to provide for the parish's needs, and fifteen years after the first church was opened, a new much larger church, seating 1200, was built and dedicated. This first church building still stands and is still used for parish and town activities. It is a symbol of post-war desire of Yarmouth residents to be a separate parish, rather than a mission, and have a church of their own. The first building for any faith shows the desire to worship together; that a second much larger building was needed, only confirms what Yarmouth Catholics knew was needed for their town. This first building is a monument to their vision. Probably the most famous person to be married in a Yarmouth church was Antonin Scalia, future US Supreme Court justice and a lightning rod for his pointed decisions. He was married in this first parish church in Yarmouth. In regards to whether post World War 2 buildings can be considered historic, the Cape Cod National Seashore has several buildings constructed later than this Catholic Church building in Yarmouth that are considered eligible for the National Register of Historic Places by the Federal Government and eligible for national recognition and funding.