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My Blue Heaven

The painted churches of East Texas

by

Witt Duncan

Drive the winding roads of Fayette County, catch a glimpse of a white frame church in the distance, and you could be forgiven for imagining you’re in New England—but this is no Congregational church. The painted churches of Texas are Catholic houses of worship, built by Czech, German, and Polish settlers among others. Some of the finest examples are concentrated in an area just north and west of Houston.

Beginning in the mid-nineteenth century waves of central European immigrants arrived in Galveston from the old kingdoms of Moravia, Bohemia, and Silesia, which were then part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and are now mostly in the Czech Republic. Refugees from war and poverty, many arrived with their destinations written on a piece of paper pinned to their shirts. Enforced conscription had claimed too many of the young men, and absentee aristocratic land ownership had monopolized the best farmland, forcing the locals into subsistence farming with no hope of expansion.

For these immigrants, farming represented a calling to self-sufficiency and freedom from the constant disruption of war and poor economic opportunity that had been their fate for years. With the exception of the Civil War, which was fought far away, they found what they were looking for in Texas and prospered. As the Czech towns became established, the difficult early years were followed by enough financial stability to build churches—and sometimes to rebuild them after hurricanes. Step inside any of these churches, and the austere exteriors give way to an explosion of color. Blue and rose-colored walls and ceilings, accented with delicate goldleaf, cover the interiors and must have delighted the immigrant farmers who built them. 

Take a Tour

The Texas Czech Heritage and Cultural Center in La Grange promotes and preserves a record of all things historically and culturally Czech. The weekly newspaper Nasinec, founded in 1914, is still published in the Czech language for those who want to keep up with local events in the old tongue. The center also includes a museum with a genealogical section and a one-and-a-half-acre setting for restored and preserved historical homes,  a hospoda (tavern), an ampitheatre, and farm buildings. It’s both walkable and drivable and provides scheduled tours for interested groups.

For these immigrants, farming represented a calling to self-sufficiency and freedom from the constant disruption of war and poor economic opportunity that had been their fate for years.

Retta Chandler, the Center’s president, explained the integration of the local Czech and German communities. Although the Czechs were not the first to settle the area, they were able to do business and socialize with the German population, since they had been taught German in Austrian-administered schools. The Czechs’ command of German smoothed the transition, and the communities have maintained close ties ever since. Chandler estimates that the county’s current Czech-descended population is over sixty percent.

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The Chamber of Commerce in Schulenburg is the go-to spot for maps, information, and access to solo or guided tours. Before taking in the churches, walk down the main street of this lovely town, a working example of the farming communities that predominated in Texas until the ‘twenties. 

Start with St. Mary Catholic Church in High Hill, just north of Schulenburg. Unofficially the queen of the painted churches, it was built in 1908 of hurricane-proof red brick and locally quarried marble by the German community, led by architect Leo M.J. Dielmann. 

Witt Duncan

The apse dome is painted in a robin’s-egg blue, outlined in gold. Lacking funds for true Gothic rib vaulting, the parishioners settled for trompe l’oeil cross vaults; unless you’re twenty feet tall or equipped with a telescope they look quite real and very lovely. If you plan on attending services, be aware that quarters are tight. As the congregation increased, ushers moved the rows closer together so they could squeeze in more bodies. Nearby Ammansville was a busy hub with numerous cotton gins and businesses a hundred years ago; at present it’s been pared down to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church and the Catholic Union of Texas Fraternal Lodge (Katolicka Jednota Texaska). This church, built in 1919, is Ammansville’s third. The first was destroyed in a 1909 hurricane and the second (built by Leo Dielmann) by fire eight years later. St. John the Baptist departs from the blue-sky theme with a rose-colored interior and features decorative folk art painted from floor to ceiling and mostly clear glass windows for light. The original seating arrangements kept the men on one side of the church and the women on the other. 

Witt Duncan

Head east on FM615 over the old 1885 iron “Piano Bridge,” so named for the humming sound made by vehicles as they bumped on and off. The Pratt truss structure no longer hums after a recent restoration but still takes you to the old community of Dubina and Sts. Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church.

Witt Duncan

Dubina was founded in 1856 by Czechs and named for the plentiful nearby oaks. The original church, like the one in Ammansville, was destroyed in the hurricane of 1909, and the current church was completed in 1912. Although closed, the old Peter’s General Store building still stands off to the side. Activity in Dubina has diminished with the population, but the church is still beautifully maintained and open for services.

“Vítáme Vás”—or sometimes “Vítáme Vás Y’all!”—says the sign that welcomes you to St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption at Praha. (“We welcome you.”) This church is unique in having small memorials to fallen servicemen in front of the church and a recently restored interior that features beautiful stenciled walls and ceilings. 

And finally, for a more secular detour, go to La Grange and visit the Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites. High on a bluff overlooking the Colorado River, you’ll find a traditional German house (Texas style), a brewery, and hiking trails, along with plenty of tame deer. And before you wind up your outing, cross the Lavaca County line and visit the Moravia Vineyard and Winery. Owned by Italian immigrant Luca Suschitz, the winery offers organic wines and a tasting room to enjoy them. “Na zdraví!” as some of the old-timers may still say.

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If you go ...

Tours 

Churches are closed for Holy Week and various special events. Dubina’s church is closed to all but guided tours. The other churches can be seen on a self-guided tour, and the Chamber of Commerce provides a map and a brochure.

The four-hour guided tours, available Monday through Saturday, must be reserved ahead start between 9 and 10:30 a.m. at the Greater Schulenburg Chamber of Commerce, 618 Main St. in Schulenburg. The price is $10 per person, plus a $40 tip per group and a $50 tip for groups over 15 persons. Call (866) 504-5294 for reservations. 

Where to Stay and Eat

Schulenberg and La Grange both have the full complement of national hotel chains, but for something a little more indigenous, try Hattie’s Haus (hatties-haus.com) on 12020 FM 1383 in the quiet rolling countryside just north of Schulenberg, on the road to Ammansville. This restored 1876 farm house with period furnishings has been in the same family almost since it was built. Wander the property and you’ll see an old barn and cistern. Other good local options include Ina’s Kitchen (30 East Avenue) and Oakridge Smokehouse (712 US 77), both also in Schulenburg.  

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