The members of St. Francis wanted to build a new building on the site where the historic church was, and that's when the Abilene Preservation League got involved. We wish everyone would do that. The reason the league is so interested is that St. Francis is believed to be the oldest church building still in existence in Abilene. It originally stood on the corner of North 5th and Beech streets, where St. Paul United Methodist Church now stands. 1633 S. 8th St. The old building was moved from the North 5th and Beech location to 826 Cottonwood Street, where it was used by St. Francis Catholic Church for many years.
Future plans call for the church to be a museum.
But first, some things must be returned. Hernandez said furnishings and statuary have been removed, although some items have since been returned. The church and its bishop are asking people to return anything taken from the church so that its authenticity can be preserved. It links us to our spiritual roots. That's a relatively small amount for a preservation project, and Perez is confident the money will be donated soon.