Collection	Framingham Illustrated
Object ID	1995.36.36
Publisher	Lithotype Printing Co.,
Pub Place	New York :
Series	Saxonville Illustrated
Description	CATHOLIC CHURCH St. George's Church was organized for Irish mill workers as the first Roman Catholic parish in Framingham and the surrounding Metrowest area. In an era when Roman Catholics found little tolerance in the Commonwealth, the first Mass was celebrated peacefully in the Knight home in Saxonville in May of 1834, just four months before anti-Catholic rioters stormed the Ursuline Convent in Cambridge, and burnt it to the ground. In 1848, the wooden structure for St. George's parish was dedicated - again, without incident. The original building was still standing on School Street in 1880. It was replaced by the modern brick structure in the 1960s after the old building was condemned. The rectory seen at the right of the 1980 view was built just a few years after the 1880 view was taken.

For more information, contact the Framingham History Center at curator@framinghamhistory.org or 508-872-3780.     curator@framinghamhistory.org
Last modified on: October 26, 2011