St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church in New London began in the 1840s, serving Irish workers from a storefront on Bank Street. Soon, St. John's parish was formed and a chapel was erected on Jay Street.
Photo: View northwest. (Tod Bryant)
In 1855 a new church, St. Patrick's, was consecrated on Truman Street ; the original church on Jay Street was used for Sunday-school purposes. St. Patrick's parish acquired a large lot at the corner of Washington and Huntington Streets in 1866 and the following year work began on a new church. The parish was renamed St. Mary Star of the Sea in 1874 and the new church was completed and dedicated in May, 1876. The church tower was built in 1911.
"St. Mary Star of the Sea Roman Catholic Church (1876)." Historic Buildings of Connecticut.
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There are stained glass Gothic windows above the north and south entrances and a large stained glass Gothic window above the center entrance in the tower. A round stained glass window is centered in the tower and there are pairs of louvered lancet windows on all elevations of the top of the tower.
Date(s): Built 1876 Style(s): Gothic Revival Historic Use: Church Present Use: Church Architect: Patrick Keely
Accessibility:
Exterior visible from public road.
Interior accessible (during services and at other times).
CT Irish-American
Heritage Trail
640 Arrowhead Drive
Orange, CT 06477
The Irish experience has had a profound impact on Connecticut's past, and its narrative spans all periods of the state's history and touches every one of its eight counties and 169 towns.
