Old St. Mary’s
Dedicated 1883
Rocklin’s Irish community started to raise funds to build their own church – it was St. Patrick’s Day; the year, 1881. Two years later this building was completed. Archbishop Joseph Alemany of San Francisco dedicated the building as St. Mary’s of the Assumption Catholic Church on August 13, 1883.
St. Mary’s served the Catholic communities of Rocklin and Loomis for 100 years. In 1983 the congregation moved to a new facility, SS. Peter and Paul’s on Granite Drive. Ownership changed; The building served the Church of Religious Science, and later, the Baptist faith. Ultimately, Rocklin’s only remaining 19th Century public building fell to disrepair on a Front Street knoll 400 yards south of this spot.
Rocklin Historical Society
Rocklin Historical Society developed a plan to save St. Mary’s from demolition and restore her. The Keller family donated the building, the City of Rocklin established Heritage Park. On Sept. 17, 2005 hundreds of citizens pulled St. Mary’s to the park. Two years later on Sept. 21, 2007 a new steeple was lifted into place completing the restoration. More than 400 individuals and organizations had participated in the project. St. Mary’s was once again ready to serve the community as “Old St. Mary’s Chapel".
Marker is on Front Street near Rocklin Road, on the right when traveling east.
Courtesy hmdb.org
