H.R. No. 489
                                  R E S O L U T I O N
    1-1        WHEREAS, Each year, the Texas Historical Commission
    1-2  designates 10 sites in Texas as the state's most endangered
    1-3  historical properties in an effort to promote interest in
    1-4  preservation of historically and architecturally unique structures
    1-5  around the state; and
    1-6        WHEREAS, On February 22, 1995, the commission awarded this
    1-7  special designation to Old St. Joseph's Catholic Church, a
    1-8  beautiful structure that was a social and spiritual centerpiece for
    1-9  the residents of Rockdale for more than 80 years; and
   1-10        WHEREAS, Built in 1912 as the second church in the parish of
   1-11  St. Joseph, this lovely house of worship is a magnificent example
   1-12  of the turn-of-the-century Mission Revival style; constructed of
   1-13  wood with clapboard siding, Old St. Joseph's Catholic Church
   1-14  features an open belfry, a curvilinear parapet, and arched moldings
   1-15  adorned with intricate quatrefoil patterns; and
   1-16        WHEREAS, Known also as Love Tabernacle, this remarkable
   1-17  structure was built for $2,000 by local contractors William Smith,
   1-18  A. L. Harris, and Edmund Wolf and by workers Eli Floyd and Dempoy
   1-19  Humford; records recovered from the church's cornerstone, which was
   1-20  set on March 12, 1912, indicate that the building committee in
   1-21  charge of the project included many notable community leaders,
   1-22  including A. Rhomfeldt, A. Wolf, Leo Strelsky, and the Reverend S.
   1-23  Spinneweber; and
   1-24        WHEREAS, After 1967, when the parish of St. Joseph's built a
    2-1  larger church to accommodate its growing congregation, Old St.
    2-2  Joseph's Catholic Church was moved from its original site and
    2-3  became a place of prayer for another denomination; over the years,
    2-4  this remarkable structure welcomed congregations of many faiths,
    2-5  and it is still standing as a tribute to the dedication of many
    2-6  generations of Rockdale residents who devoted themselves to its
    2-7  existence as a house of God; and
    2-8        WHEREAS, Today the Love Tabernacle is owned by Joan Ratliff,
    2-9  who purchased the property in an attempt to end the deterioration
   2-10  that has befallen the building in recent years; Mrs. Ratliff, who
   2-11  also owns the oldest operating motel in the State of Texas, is
   2-12  determined to restore Old St. Joseph's Catholic Church to its
   2-13  former glory and to preserve an important piece of Rockdale's past;
   2-14  and
   2-15        WHEREAS, Old St. Joseph's Catholic Church is an irreplaceable
   2-16  historical and architectural resource for the community of Rockdale
   2-17  and for the entire State of Texas, and its preservation and
   2-18  renovation will ensure that its legacy will be passed on to
   2-19  generations of Texans for many years to come; now, therefore, be it
   2-20        RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 74th Texas
   2-21  Legislature hereby recognize the historical significance of Old St.
   2-22  Joseph's Catholic Church in Rockdale.