Our Mother of Mercy Catholic Church and Parsonage
Also known as: Sunshine Cumberland Presbyterian Church and Manse
Why it's listed
Two buildings at 1100 and 1104 Evans Avenue in southeast Fort Worth form this property: a small brick and stucco church built in 1929 and the Queen Anne style house that served as its parsonage. The church has a front gable, a corner bell tower, rounded arched windows and half timbering that suggest Tudor Revival influence. Father Narcissus Denis, a Josephite priest trained as a carpenter, designed it and worked alongside parishioners to build it. He also made the altar, baptismal font and other interior furnishings. Our Mother of Mercy was Tarrant County's only African American Catholic parish from 1929 to 1952. Its members built a parochial school for African American children and took part in the community's social welfare. The parish moved to another site in 1952, and the property was later sold to Sunshine Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which still uses it. The parsonage has been altered, but it counts as contributing because of its link to the church.
Significance in brief: The church housed Tarrant County's only African American Catholic parish from 1929 to 1952 and supported community welfare, including a school for African American children. It is also significant as a Period Revival church designed and built by its priest, Father Narcissus Denis, with help from parishioners.
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 99000882, listed July 22, 1999. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1100 and 1104 Evans Ave., Fort Worth |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Listed | July 22, 1999 |
| Reference number | 99000882 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1929-1948 |
| Architect / builder | Denis, N.P. |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Tudor Revival; Late Victorian: Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Now used as Sunshine Cumberland Presbyterian Church, a religious facility; the church retains much of its integrity, while the parsonage has been altered but still counts as contributing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.73269, -97.31841 (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 99000882.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7111094
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.