I am not a photographer who is comfortable making color images, which I suspect you’ve already figured out. But this place? It had to be in color to capture the delicate decorative painting on the ceilings. Even I could tell that.

The first church in High Hill was built in 1869, nine years after the town was founded by Austrian and German immigrants. A second, larger church was finished in 1875. This is the third church, and was started in 1906; the final decorative artwork was not completed until 1912. This building has 18 stained glass windows from the second church, and three bells from that church were placed in the belfry of the current one, and remain operational. (And I hate to spoil the fun here, but there’s a sign in the foyer asking people to not ring the bells.)

Two more things: those columns look like marble, but they are painted wood. And all of these painted churches had lovely crystal chandeliers, but I don’t know why. If any of my reader(s) know, please tell me!

Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church
High Hill, Texas
photographed 1.12.2018