Photo credit:
Edward Machione, Jr., 03/24/2020
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St. Dennis Roman Catholic Church Complex
Inventory No.:
K-709
Date Listed:
11/13/2023
Location:
153 N. Main Street (church and rectory) and junction of SR 290, Duck Puddle Road, and Lambson Forest Road (cemetery), Galena, Kent County
Category:
District
Period/Date of Construction:
1855-1934
Architect/Builder:
Gleeson and Mulroney (architects, 1934 church); Thomas H. Solloway (carpenter, 1884 rectory)
Boundary Description:
The Church and Rectory are bounded on the south by Galena Cemetery, on the east by State Route 213, on the north by a private residence, and on the west by an agricultural lot owned by the Church of St. Dennis Galena Inc.
The Cemetery is bounded on the southeast by SR 290, on the northeast by a private residence, on the northwest by private farmland, and on the southwest by Duck Puddle Road.
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Description:
The St. Dennis Catholic Church Complex is a discontiguous historic district located in Galena, Kent County, and is comprised of three contributing resources: a cemetery, rectory, and church. A 1992 garage is non-contributing. The church, rectory, and garage share a parcel located on the northern side of Galena, on the west side of Maryland Route 213. The St. Dennis Cemetery and site of the first (c. 1855) parish church are located approximately 2.4 miles to the south. The current St. Dennis Church building was constructed in 1934 as the congregation’s third house of worship. It is constructed of stone in the Gothic Revival style. The 1884 rectory, connected to the church by a hyphen, is constructed of brick that is believed to have been used in the building of the original, no longer extant, church. The rectory is unusually decorative for its period of construction. Although discontiguous, the St. Dennis cemetery retains the feeling of its historical setting, and the complex overall retains integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association.
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Significance:
The St. Dennis Roman Catholic Church Complex, including the 1934 church, 1884 rectory, and c.1855 cemetery, is locally significant with a period of significance from 1855 to 1934. The history of the parish is interconnected with the development of the surrounding communities of Lambson and Galena; the church developed in response to the religious development of the area, as Catholic parishes were not commonly found in Kent County compared with Methodist or Episcopal parishes. The complex derives additional significance for the architecture of both its church and rectory. The church is a representative example of the English Gothic style of ecclesiastical architecture. Designed by the Philadelphia firm, Gleeson & Mulrooney, the structure exhibits refinement of design and workmanship not commonly found in rural settings, including stained glass and other interior ornamentation from the studio of prominent Philadelphia artist Paula Himmelsbach Balano. The rectory exhibits an eclectic array of Victorian styles, including Gothic Revival and Queen Anne elements; its plan provides for dedicated office space, which is an unusual feature for rectories from this period.
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