History of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) in Del Valle, Texas explored in religious context.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) is one of the forgotten churches of Travis County and Texas. Not much history can be discovered about Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church). This news article will explain and explore some of the holy history relating to this church. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was a Mexican Catholic Church.


The origins of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church date back to the early part of the 20th century. Possibly around 1907 when a church was established on the south river bank of the Colorado River. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was established and organized as a parish for Spanish-speakers.

Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church faced debt by 1911 that needed to be paid off. The Daughters of Isabella, under Miss Josephine Theis, held a bazaar to pay off the building debt of Guadalupe Church on May 27, 1911.

Some say Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was organized sometime prior to 1918 in Del Valle, Texas. However the history of this church goes further than that. (Ref: Phil Mullins, Mission Church at Garfield)

Rev. O'Reilly was pastor of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church since late 1907. Rev. O'Donnell succeeded Rev. O'Reilly as pastor in 1918.

In 1919, the Travis County School Board (Travis County Public Schools/Travis County Common School District) granted permission to build a church on the property where Garfield Mexican School was once located. The church building was erected in 1919 under Rev. Walter O'Donnell, C.S.C, and had been in continuous use since then. A Mexican Catholic Church called Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was built and organized on property belonging to Travis County Public Schools and the Garfield Cemetery (the County Mexican Cemetery). (Ref: http://sanjose.philmullins.com/missions-of-san-jose/)

The mission at Guadalupe Church celebrated Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. Some of their expenses were about 50¢ cents a trip on Sunday and Catechism day. Roughly $1.50 to $2.00 a Sunday. (Ref: Phil Mullins, Beginning the work: 1940)

The Bishop of Galveston informed Rev. MacDonald that two Oblate Fathers (OMI) would take over the Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church on December 24, 1924.  The Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate took charge of Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church in early 1925.

The church building went under repair in 1929. A chapel was established in 1929. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church offered Travis County Public Schools/Travis County Common School District offered the use of their chapel.


A new church mission was constructed for Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church in 1939. The new building was an oblong building with a tin roof and was valued at $1,200. Holy Cross priests Fred A. Schmidt, Alfredo Mendez and Thomas Culhane were working on/at the "beautiful little Holy Cross mission at Garfield" on July 20, 1939. Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was known as the "beautiful little Holy Cross mission at Garfield". Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church became a mission of the newly founded San Jose Mission in 1939. Garfield Mexican School was used as a church by Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) and Holy Cross Mission in 1939. (Ref: Phil Mullins, Mission Church at Garfield)

The mission at Garfield (Guadalupe Church) celebrated Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month.

In 1940, Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church has 70 registered families and 20 baptisms. The mission at Guadalupe Church celebrated Mass on the 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month. Some of their expenses were about 50¢ cents a trip on Sunday and Catechism day. Roughly $1.50 to $2.00 a Sunday. (Ref: Catholic Church Annual Report from 1940)

A sanctuary and porch were added to the mission and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church at a cost of $400. The new building then was a 34 foot x 20 foot in size. The old part of the church building was repaired at a cost of $500. In November 1946, Mendez divided the debt of $900 owed his sister, Mrs. Adeline Laugier, between the four mission churches and assigned $53.50 to Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church. (Ref: Phil Mullins, Mission Church at Garfield)


Rev. James Donahue, Rev. Fred Schmidt, Rev. Mendez and Rev. Thomas Culhane were working with Mexicans at the Holy Cross Mission during this time. July Culhane, Mendez and Fred Schmidt were working at the mission.

The church building for Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church was relocated to Nuestra Senora La Luz Catholic Mission Church on Montopolis Drive in Austin during the year of 1950 after Travis County Public Schools/Travis County Common School District shut down Garfield Mexican School due to a law making racial segregation illegal. (Ref: http://mixerrreviews.blogspot.com/2019/06/forgotten-history-of-garfield-mexican.html)


Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church remained a mission of San Jose Church until April 1953 when Nuestra Señora de La Luz (now Dolores Church) became a parish. At that time, San Francisco Church in Creedmoor and Guadalupe Church in Garfield became its missions. The congregation in Garfield decreased to the point where the church was closed. All traces of the school building of Garfield Mexican School and Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) have disappeared since then. Only Garfield Cemetery remains. (Ref: sanjose.philmullins.com/missions-of-san-jose/)


Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe Church (Guadalupe Church) was located at Richards Drive and State Highway 71, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.