York County · Marker 46-86
St. Mary Catholic Church
902 Crawford Rd., Rock Hill
Front inscription
St. Mary Catholic Church formed in 1945. It was organized by Fr. Edward Wahl, a white Oratorian who sought to minister to local African Americans. The first church was constructed at this site and dedicated in 1946. Also built at that time was a recreation center that hosted social events, athletic leagues, and other programs for local Black residents. At the time of its founding, St. Mary had five members.
Reverse inscription
St. Mary grew to more than sixty members by the mid-1950s. In 1951 the church established Crawford Federal Credit Union to provide financial assistance to local African Americans. The Sisters of Christian Doctrine founded a preschool and kindergarten in 1956. An education center across Crawford Road was dedicated in 1969. A larger church was built next to the original in 2008 to accommodate St. Mary’s roughly 450 members.