Moulton, Lavaca County
One of the oldest communities in Lavaca County, the town of Moulton was originally located about two miles from the current townsite. When the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railroad completed a line through the area in 1887, the population shifted to the new location. Many German and Czech immigrants moved here and established family farms. When Moulton residents expressed a desire for a Catholic parish here, the Rev. John Forest of Hallettsville established St. Joseph's Church. A small frame sanctuary was built in 1888. Initially a mission of the Hallettsville Church, St. Joseph's became an independent parish in 1892. A parish school, operated by the Sisters of Divine Providence, was built in 1894. Destroyed by fire in 1902, it was replaced by a second facility. As the church continued to grow, additional buildings were erected on the property. Beginning in 1921, the Rev. Joseph Kopp (1879-1961) led the parish through thirty-eight years of growth and service. After seventy-one years of instruction, the parish school closed in 1965. Throughout its history, St. Joseph's Parish has been an important part of the Moulton community. (1988)