Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church Historic Chapel

The Chapel began as the Bank of St. Marys in 1840, however, after 7 years the Bank failed. Mrs. Marie Ponce Defour and her husband, Lewis, purchased the Chapel for their church as they had no formal meeting place of worship. Many of these parishioners were Acadians who came from Nova Scotia seeking religious freedom. A bell tower was added to the building and the Chapel was utilized until 1957 when a new, much larger church was built. This building is also believed to be the oldest standing masonary bank building in the State of Georgia.