Sacred Heart Parish Complex

The Sacred Heart Parish Complex comprises five buildings constructed between 1899 and 1936, showcasing Gothic Revival architecture built with multicolored granite stone facades. The site occupies two acres between Groton and Hawley Streets and includes a church, two schools, a convent, and a rectory that remain visible today.

The complex was built during Lawrence's peak as an industrial city, when the Catholic church expanded to serve growing immigrant populations settling there. It earned recognition on the National Register of Historic Places in 2011, acknowledging its importance to Massachusetts religious and architectural heritage.

The parish buildings show how Catholic faith evolved in Lawrence, with schools, a convent, and rectory serving different community needs over time. The structures reveal how religious institutions once functioned as centers of community life, supporting education and spiritual practice together.

The complex sits on South Broadway and is easy to reach from downtown, with historic granite facades visible from various angles around the site. The former school buildings have been converted to residences, but the exterior architecture remains impressive and offers good views of the place from multiple vantage points.

The church and rectory now house a Traditionalist Catholic Dominican order that continues to hold religious services there. This ongoing religious use preserves both the original purpose of the buildings and helps maintain their historical architectural details.

Location: Lawrence

GPS coordinates: 42.68940,-71.15890

Latest update: December 14, 2025 16:40