St.
Anne's Church continues to this day as a mission. It is currently
attached to Powhatan. Thorough the years it has been served as a
mission of several parishes including Immaculate Conception.
St. Anne's has historically been a church of the Adayes Indians and of the descendants of Spanish settlers and soldiers from the Los Adaes Presidio which was for a time capitol of the province of Tejas (Texas today). This church, although no longer a parish, bears its roots all the way back to the 1715 time period as a Spanish Mission near the presidio at Los Adaes. It was first founded by Fray Antiono Margil a Spainish Franciscian missionary. After the 1719 "Chicken War" incident it was abandoned by the Spanish for a short period of time. When the Spanish came back they moved the mission about a mile closer to the location of their presidio under construction at that time.
The current church is at least the fifth location and perhaps the sixth structure of its community. At times it was difficult for this community to be served due to it being traditionally a Spanish speaking community in a French and English speaking area.
This old ornately carved main altar compliments the mission very well. The age of the altar is unknown but very likely it was moved to this church from the old church in the early 1900's.
The Saturday this picture was made the church was alive with the women of the parish cleaning the church much the same as what has been done in such community churches for hundreds of years. The ladies had done a very good job of embellishing the altars for an Ordinary Time Sunday Mass.
Link to Los Adaes page on this site which also contains links off site for more information.