Founded in 1885, Saint Mary's as a parish has survived far longer than the current building. The actual church has suffered three fires and two floods in its lifespan. The current building with its brick facade sits amid a small, grassy slope that leads up a short flight of stairs, the trees and shrubs on the exterior young and well-tended. The interior is plaster and wood-paneling, with the perpetual smell of candles and wood-oil over the faintly damp smell of well-used carpet in a place prone to rainfall, with enough pews to seat some 600 parishioners. Statues of the Holy Mother flank the altar, one holding an infant Jesus and the other with her hands open in blessing, and the altar itself is seasonally decorated at Christmas and Easter, brightened by fresh flowers the rest of the year.
A small school serving elementary-aged children is nestled on the grounds, as well as a home for Father Daniel, the aging Priest that tends the flock here. A few offices and other functional buildings are hidden on this corner lot. Finding parking can be a chore on Sundays, but it's otherwise a peaceful place.