Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Queen of Peace
Why it's listed
Rising above the farmland of Sweet Home in Lavaca County, this 1918 brick church is the main landmark of the community. Rectangular in plan, it has a massive truncated tower projecting from the entrance. Red brick is accented with raised corbel tables of buff, gray and green brick, Greek cross string courses and checkerboard patterns. Tall lancet windows with stained glass and brick hood molds light the building. Inside, wooden columns with Corinthian capitals are painted to imitate marble, and the pressed metal ceiling has stenciled beams. A freehand mural of the Ascension decorates the apse. Catholic Bohemian farming families settled the area in 1860, formed their parish in 1895, and first worshipped in a remodeled dance hall. Contractors Vincent Falbo and M. Deodati built the church and later built a related, more elaborate church in Shiner. A 1967 tornado destroyed the original spire. The building is valued as a good Gothic Revival brick structure with notable decorative interior painting.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the church as a good example of a brick Gothic Revival building, with patterned contrasting brickwork, and as the major landmark of Sweet Home. Its interior has well-executed marbling and stenciling combined with naive freehand painting. It also reflects the Bohemian Catholic farming community that settled the area in 1860.
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 83003149, listed June 21, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | FM 340, Sweet Home |
|---|---|
| County | Lavaca County |
| Listed | June 21, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83003149 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builders Vincent Falbo, contractor, and M. Deodati, associate contractor |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | A 1967 tornado destroyed the original eight-sided spire and severely damaged the church; exterior repairs followed and the interior was redecorated. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 29.34235, -97.06925 (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 83003149.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5117825
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.