Page 46 - WPA Book
P. 46
Works Project Administration – Articles from Rockingham County
CHURCHES
1. SUBJECT:
Catholic Church of Blessed Sacrament.
2. LOCATION:
On North Main Street, Harrisonburg, adjoining the Federal Building and opposite the Kavanaugh Hotel.
3. DATE:
Services began about 1865; First Church (bought), 1876; present church built about 1922-3, later remodeled.
4. OWNERS:
Catholic Church of Blessed Sacrament from Anna J. Reherd, March 25, 1922, $10,500. Deed Book 122, page
305. This location reaches back many years and will be traced back to the original owner in a later write-up.
(See Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, present site, page in book [likely, deed book].)
5. DESCRIPTION:
Gothic-type architecture, brick construction.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
This is one of the most attractive, perhaps the most attractive, of the smaller church edifices in the Shenandoah
Valley. The location adjoins the United States Post office and Federal Court Building and directly opposite the
Kavanaugh Hotel.
One of the youngest church organizations in Harrisonburg, Virginia, it has grown steadily from a small
beginning of eight families to its present size and importance and by constant and faithful effort has brought
comfort and consolation not only to its own people but to others of the community as well, standing for all that
is highest and best in community life, wielding a spiritual and moral influence in the civic and business affairs
of the community.
According to history as far back as 1865, Father Bixio held Mass in Harrisonburg, but it is a well known fact
that he often accompanied the southern Army and held Mass for “the boys in gray,” who were fighting for what
later became the lost cause, and it is a certainty that numbered among the early pioneers in this section were
some Catholics. The first accurate account of the church’s history in Rockingham County dates from the days of
the War Between the States. Prior to this time, the earlier Catholics had to be content with an occasional mass in
more distant cities, and later Staunton, and through faithful practice of their religion in every day life.
As far as can be learned, Father Bixio was the first priest to visit Harrisonburg regularly, saying mass at a
chapel on what is now Liberty Street and later at the home of E.J. Sullivan on East Elizabeth Street and at the
Virginia Hotel. At that time there were only about eight families in Harrisonburg. According to history, Father
McGuire of Maryland also held services here, sometimes in a home of one of his parishioners, at the Virginia
Hotel, and in the chapel on Liberty Street, which was also used as a school taught by Miss Mary McQuaide.
Father Weed of Staunton followed Father Bixio, and it is of interest to note that often Catholics of this section
would ride in a wagon or walk to Staunton for mass, thus showing their devotion to their faith.
Wayland’s History of Rockingham County says that in November of 1867, the Right Rev. Bishop McGill of
Richmond held services in Harrisonburg at “Mr. Bell’s (Presbyterian) Church.”
Page 45 of 482
CHURCHES
1. SUBJECT:
Catholic Church of Blessed Sacrament.
2. LOCATION:
On North Main Street, Harrisonburg, adjoining the Federal Building and opposite the Kavanaugh Hotel.
3. DATE:
Services began about 1865; First Church (bought), 1876; present church built about 1922-3, later remodeled.
4. OWNERS:
Catholic Church of Blessed Sacrament from Anna J. Reherd, March 25, 1922, $10,500. Deed Book 122, page
305. This location reaches back many years and will be traced back to the original owner in a later write-up.
(See Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, present site, page in book [likely, deed book].)
5. DESCRIPTION:
Gothic-type architecture, brick construction.
6. HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE:
This is one of the most attractive, perhaps the most attractive, of the smaller church edifices in the Shenandoah
Valley. The location adjoins the United States Post office and Federal Court Building and directly opposite the
Kavanaugh Hotel.
One of the youngest church organizations in Harrisonburg, Virginia, it has grown steadily from a small
beginning of eight families to its present size and importance and by constant and faithful effort has brought
comfort and consolation not only to its own people but to others of the community as well, standing for all that
is highest and best in community life, wielding a spiritual and moral influence in the civic and business affairs
of the community.
According to history as far back as 1865, Father Bixio held Mass in Harrisonburg, but it is a well known fact
that he often accompanied the southern Army and held Mass for “the boys in gray,” who were fighting for what
later became the lost cause, and it is a certainty that numbered among the early pioneers in this section were
some Catholics. The first accurate account of the church’s history in Rockingham County dates from the days of
the War Between the States. Prior to this time, the earlier Catholics had to be content with an occasional mass in
more distant cities, and later Staunton, and through faithful practice of their religion in every day life.
As far as can be learned, Father Bixio was the first priest to visit Harrisonburg regularly, saying mass at a
chapel on what is now Liberty Street and later at the home of E.J. Sullivan on East Elizabeth Street and at the
Virginia Hotel. At that time there were only about eight families in Harrisonburg. According to history, Father
McGuire of Maryland also held services here, sometimes in a home of one of his parishioners, at the Virginia
Hotel, and in the chapel on Liberty Street, which was also used as a school taught by Miss Mary McQuaide.
Father Weed of Staunton followed Father Bixio, and it is of interest to note that often Catholics of this section
would ride in a wagon or walk to Staunton for mass, thus showing their devotion to their faith.
Wayland’s History of Rockingham County says that in November of 1867, the Right Rev. Bishop McGill of
Richmond held services in Harrisonburg at “Mr. Bell’s (Presbyterian) Church.”
Page 45 of 482
