St. Mary of the Assumption Church
Why it's listed
St. Mary of the Assumption Church is a Romanesque Revival building of mottled red brick and limestone on Fort Worth's Southside. It has an asymmetrically placed bell tower, a triple-arched entrance portal, a twelve-section rose window, and large round-arch windows of German stained glass made in Munich. Inside, a barrel vault rises 35 feet, and Carrara marble altars and statues, some saved from an earlier fire, fill the sanctuary. The parish began in 1908 with a frame church that burned in 1918 and again in 1922. Parishioners then hired the Fort Worth firm of Sanguinet, Staats, and Hedrick, and the present church was completed in 1924, with the first Mass on July 20. It was the fourth Catholic church in the city and the second on this site. It is regarded as an intact example of the firm's ecclesiastical work. Alterations have been minimal, limited to new entry steps and ramps, added exterior glazing, and the loss of two painted angels.
Significance in brief: It was the fourth Catholic church built in Fort Worth and was built to serve the rapidly growing Southside. It is an intact example of the church designs of Sanguinet, Staats, and Hedrick, the city's most prominent architects from 1900 to 1935. The form also marks religion and architecture as areas of significance.
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 84001998, listed May 10, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 501 W. Magnolia Ave., Fort Worth |
|---|---|
| County | Tarrant County |
| Listed | May 10, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001998 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- (specific dates 1923-24) |
| Architect / builder | Sanguinet, Staats, and Hedrick |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church; described as in excellent condition and unaltered apart from minimal changes. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 32.73042, -97.33029 (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 84001998.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590540
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.