Then and Now: St. Mary’s Catholic Church
In a tiny stop along Highway 101 called McGowan, better known as Station Camp to Lewis and Clark fans, sits a beautifully restored Catholic church called St. Mary’s. In 1904, P.J. McGowan donated the land and paid for the construction of the Catholic church. Built of Port Orford (OR) cedar, the church sat 150 worshipers. In the town’s heyday, many families lived and worked there.
After the nearby cannery moved and fish traps and seines were outlawed, most of the buildings at McGowan deteriorated. The church was restored in 1962 through the efforts of the local Catholic parish and numerous volunteers. St. Mary’s still holds Sunday evening Mass during the summer for both parishioners and visitors alike.