Immaculate Conception Church

A fine example of Gothic Revival architecture, Immaculate Conception Church opened (but was not fully completed) in 1874 when it became home to a Roman Catholic congregation established in 1864. The church was built using red brick and features a 175-foot bell tower, lancet windows with tracery set in pointed-arched openings, and buttresses that extend above the roofline. The church is also notable for its association with two former pastors, Rev. Jacob Walter and Rev. Francis J. Hurney. Father Walter served as the congregation's interim pastor when it was founded and is known for tending to Mary Surrat who was convicted and hanged for her involvement in the plot to assassinate President Abraham Lincoln, in the final hours of her life. Father Hurney became pastor in 1930 and established the radio show called the "Washington Catholic Hour" that ran from 1931 to 1962. Guests on the show often discussed philosophy, theology, and Canon law. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

Immaculate Conception emerged from St. Patrick's Parish (the oldest Catholic church in the city), which was founded in 1794. As more Catholics settled in Washington, St. Patrick's membership increased and eventually the church could no longer accommodate the large congregation. As a result, two new churches were built, St. Mary Mother of God in 1845, and St. Dominic's in 1852. By the Civil War, the area where the Immaculate Conception is now marked the city's northern most limit and had just started to develop. It had dirt roads and, apparently, cows wandered about in the area, giving it the nickname "Cow Town." Catholics began to settle here and because of the dirt roads had difficulty traveling to St. Patrick's, whose congregation was still too large for the church's facilities. These factors compelled Father Walter to establish Immaculate Conception, which was St. Patrick's first "daughter" church (St. Mary's and St. Dominic's were founded independently of St. Patrick's).

Construction of the first Immaculate Conception church, which was also used as a school, began in 1864 and was dedicated on July 2, 1865. It was built on the site of the present school building, which is now a charter school. In the next few years the congregation grew to around 2,000, which was too large for the church. This prompted the construction of the present church in 1874. As noted above, it was not fully completed, however. The tower and exterior surface features were finished until the early 1900s. The former church/school became a school (now only for boys) and parish hall.

The rectory and convent buildings are attached to each other and located next to the church on 8th Street. The rectory was built in 1873 and the convent was built between 1874 and 1878. A new girls' school (Immaculate Conception Academy) was built in 1872 at 8th and Q Street and it eventually became a high school affiliated with Catholic University. The congregation built a new boys' school in 1909 on the site of the original church/school building (adjacent to the present church) and it could accommodate 300 students. The church was renovated in 1963.

"Church History." Immaculate Conception Church. Accessed November 9, 2022. https://www.immaculateconceptionchurchdc.org/church-history.

Vidutis, Richard. "Immaculate Conception Church." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. September 17, 2003. https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/a28d1b11-c1dd-499c-8012-7b1975d83e44.