1. Catholic Churches

2. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Prior to 1850, Catholics of Plaquemine had to go to Point Pleasant or St. Gabriel to attend church. In 1840 Judge John Dutton, parish judge, donated land facing the public square for the purpose of erecting a Catholic Church. It was not until November 7, 1850 that the first mass was consecrated by Bishop Blanc. This church was destroyed by fire on February 6, 1858. Construction of Plaquemine’s second Catholic Church began in 1859 and was completed and dedicated on January 27, 1861 by Father Fallot. This church was repaired and enlarged several times and was eventually torn down in 1926. The present Catholic Church was constructed and dedicated on October 18, 1927.

3. Lithograph of First St. John The Evangelist Catholic Church The first mass was said by Father Abbe Mouret on November 7, 1850. The building on the right of the church was the “COLLEGE OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY”. Both the church and college were destroyed by fire on February 6, 1858.

4. Second St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Completed and blessed by Father Francis C. Fallot on January 27, 1861 A storm on Sunday, August 19, 1888 bent the cross on the steeple.

5. Additional Tier Added to St. John The Evangelist Church in 1891

6. Crowd Gathers to Attend Father Marthurin Harnais’s Silver Jubilee (October 18, 1889)

7. Church Draped for Reverend Mathurin G. Harnais’s Funeral Father Mathurin G. Harnais served in Plaquemine from January 29, 1878 until his death February 5, 1905. He was buried under the altar of this church. Click to Enlarge Pictures (Do not click in automatic play mode)

8. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church After Being Enlarged for the Third Time

9. Above: Fireman’s Float in Front of the Second St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (1906) Right: Father John Holtgreve served St. John Parish from March 6, 1905 to July 19, 1909. Click to Enlarge Pictures (Do not click in automatic play mode)

10. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (circa 1922)

11. Temporary St. John the Evangelist Church Until a New Church Was Built (1925)

12. Demolition of St. John the Evangelist Church

13. Another View of St. John the Evangelist Church Being Demolished

14. Rev. Gerald W. Bosch Looking at the Remains of the Second St. John the Evangelist Church

15. The next six pictures pertain to the laying and blessing of the cornerstone for the new St. John Church on July 4, 1926. Archbishop Shaw presides over the ceremony.

21. The Next Four Pictures Pertain to the Building of the New St. John Church (1926)

25. One of the Bells in the Tower of the New St. John the Evangelist Church

26. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church Completed and Dedicated on October 20, 1927 - This picture was taken before the statues were added in the slots in the facade of the church.

27. St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church (April 1952) Father Gerald Bosch designated in his will that some of the money he left the church be used to purchase the statues of St. Louis and St. John the Evangelist for placement in the facade of the church.

28. Interior of St. John the Evangelist Church at Rev. Leonard Robin’s 25 th Anniversary as a Priest (December 1948)

29. Rev. Leonard Robin Celebrating His Silver Jubilee in 1948

30. Rectory of the St. John the Evangelist Church Built in 1884 - The rectory contained eight rooms.

31. Front View of Rectory - Notice the wooden bridge across ditch covering the entire road.

32. The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Located on Main Street (1936)

37. Early Protestant Churches

38. Presbyterian Church Built in 1858 The picture was taken in 1906.

39. The first Episcopal Church was built in 1887 and located on the southeast corner of Plaquemine and Constitution Street.

40. Second Episcopal Church The Second Episcopal Church was built in 1913 on the corner of Court and Constitution Street.

41. Methodist Church - The cornerstone of the new Methodist Church was laid on December 20, 1884 by Rev. J. B. Walker, but it was not completed and dedicated until 1886. The entrance is on the side near the rear where there is a small wing of one room to be used as the pastor’s study. Seating capacity was about 300.

42. The First Baptist Church was incorporated May 11, 1907 and moved to Belleview Drive in 1965.

43. Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (Chartered 1868)

44. Macedonia Baptist Church Organized 1863

45. The St. Peter Baptist Church was founded in 1868 by the Reverend George Holmes in a section of the city known as “Irishtown” and is now in the Mississippi River.