St. Mary Catholic Church

Front: St. Mary Catholic Church formed in 1945. It was organized by Fr. Edward Wahl, a white Oratorian who sought to minister to local African Americans. The first church was constructed at this site and dedicated in 1946. Also built at that time was a recreation center that hosted social events, athletic leagues, and other programs for local Black residents. At the time of its founding, St. Mary had five members. Reverse: St. Mary grew to more than sixty members by the mid-1950s. In 1951 the church established Crawford Federal Credit Union to provide financial assistance to local African Americans. The Sisters of Christian Doctrine founded a preschool and kindergarten in 1956. An education center across Crawford Road was dedicated in 1969. A larger church was built next to the original in 2008 to accommodate St. Mary’s roughly 450 members.