Old Santa Rosa Catholic Church and Cemetery, historic church and cemetery in Cambria, California, USA
The Old Santa Rosa Catholic Church and Cemetery is a clapboard-sided church on Main Street in Cambria, California, built in 1870–1871 in a simple Classical Revival style. It has a gable roof, a boxed cornice and frieze, and an arched entrance topped with a fanlight. The cemetery lies behind the building.
Built from 1870 to 1871, the church was the first in Cambria and one of the town's oldest surviving buildings. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1982.
The church is named for Saint Rose of Lima, the first saint born in the Americas, a dedication brought by Spanish missionaries to this part of California. The cemetery behind the building holds the graves of early Cambria families, and the grounds are still used for local weddings and memorial services.
Access to the church involves a narrow climb up a steep hill from Main Street on foot. Visiting during early morning or late afternoon hours provides softer light and a more peaceful atmosphere for exploring the grounds.
The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 29, 1982, a recognition that came before later restoration work. Its cemetery lies directly behind the building, on the same Main Street property.
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