More Natchitoches...

The Church of the Immaculate Conception in Natchitoches. Dates to way way back. We ran into a guy when we were taking a little self guided tour that gave us a big run down on different locations and periods of remodeling that the church had undergone.

The first Mass celebrated in this parish was celebrated by Father Margil, a Spanish priest considered the unofficial patron saint of Catholicism in East Texas. He also founded Sacred Heart in Nacogdoches and is credited with performing a miracle there. He is said to have struck a rock overhanging La Nana creek during a drought and the water that sprung forth relieved the dry conditions. A busy fellow, he walked from Nicaragua to his assignment in East Texas. Another tie in to how our lives still feel the actions of this great man is that fact that there are folks that don't want people walking this way anymore.

Here is a spiral staircase in the church leading to the choir loft. Constructed by an unknown craftsman the hand rail is one piece of wood bent and shaped to follow the stairs. That's about as much as anyone knows about it.