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CESTOHOWA,
TEXAS Karnes
County, South Texas
Hwy 123 (one mile west)
50 miles SE of San
Antonio
(via US-181 or US-87)
5 miles N of Panna
Maria
10 miles E of Falls City
Population
Est. 110 (2000)
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Steeple
TE photo, 6-01 |
History in a Pecan
Shell
Cestahowa was a logical offshoot of the first Polish settlement
at Panna Maria.
About 40 families made the move. Even though as immigrants, they lived as a group,
the Poles understood the wisdom of keeping some distance between families. It
was close enough for residents to attend services at the Immaculate Conception
Church each Sunday if they were so inclined, and the priest from Panna Maria would
come to Cestohowa once a month, if they didn't want to make the trip.
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| | The
Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Cestohowa
Photo courtesy Barclay
Gibson, April 2005 |
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When lightning struck the Panna Maria Church - the residents of Cestohowa felt
the time had come to build their own church and so they did. The church was built
in 1877-78.
About 10 years later, other families moved to the new town
of Kosciusco, across the Flores
County line.
Economic setbacks and the loss of their bank and post office
reduced the population around 1914-18. By 1936, there were only 100 people in
town - about the same as it was in 1990. |
| | Another
view of the church
Photo courtesy Barclay Gibson, April 2005 |
© John Troesser
Cestohowa,
Texas ForumSubject:
Cestohowa
Originally the town's name was Czestochowa, which is a name of a
rather large city in southern Poland which is home to the painting of Our Lady
of Czestochowa, revered by Poles as much as Virgen de Guadalupe is loved by the
Mexicans. I understand the change in name, Czestochowa is impossible to pronounce
for English speakers - Wojtek Felendzer, Irving, Texas, January 12, 2005
Why doesn't
the lovely Sister
Agnes do a full sized photo of the beautiful parish church at Cestohowa -
better still a long exposure full sized image of the church at night - it is as
impressive as any European church. - Lawrence Linehan, Wooburn Green, Buckinghamshire,
UK, July 05, 2002
Anyone
wishing to share history, stories or photos of Cestahowa, Texas, please
contact
us.
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