Sacred Heart Catholic Church
Also known as: Catholic Church
Why it's listed
Sacred Heart Catholic Church sits on a rocky hill in a residential part of Alturas. It is a simplified Gothic Revival building of light grey welded andesitic tuff, with two-foot-thick walls, corner buttresses topped by Celtic crosses, lancet openings and stained glass windows. Construction began in 1883 under Father Patrick Kirley, who founded the parish, but a shortage of funds left the shell unfinished for more than 26 years. In 1910, with help from the largely Protestant community, Father T. E. Horgan saw it completed. A stone sacristy was added in 1928, and a brick rectory followed in 1929. After a fire on Easter Sunday in 1916, townspeople again helped pay for repairs. Today it is the last remaining historic church building in Alturas and one of the last in the county, valued as a notable example of Gothic Revival styling and as a focal point of community life.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is tied to the establishment of the Roman Catholic Church in northeastern California and is the main center of Catholic worship in Modoc County. It is the oldest church in Alturas and the only survivor of the town's early church architecture. It is also the county's only example of its type and period of Gothic Revival styling.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 83001209, listed June 30, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 507 E. 4th St., Alturas |
|---|---|
| County | Modoc County |
| Listed | June 30, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001209 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1883-1910 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (simplified) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church; condition listed as excellent to good, with minor alterations since 1910. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.48698, -120.53655 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 83001209.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7397122
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.