Historic Langley

1935. Saint Hubert Church

Circa 1940. Saint Hubert Mission Church (Courtesy Saint Hubert Church).

Saint Hubert Church was built at the corner of Third Street and Saratoga (DeBruyn) Avenue in 1935. It became a mission of the Oak Harbor church in 1938, and a parish in 1966. with Father Royer as pastor. Reverend O’Brien from Oak Harbor celebrated the first mass in 1940. (Courtesy of the Archdiocese of Seattle).

1952. Aerial view (Courtesy South Whidbey Historical Society).

“St. Hubert, named after the patron saint of hunting, started out as a mission established by Archbishop Shaughnessy in 1938. In those early days, Catholics went door-to-door to invite fellow Catholics to church. Whidbey Island was populated by mostly by dairy farmers and livestock. According to Simmons, ‘A priest would have to come from Everett by boat to celebrate Mass’.

In 1966, St. Hubert parish was established by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly, who appointed Father August Royer as the first pastor. Serving for twelve years, Father Franklin Lott, was the longest serving pastor. According to Halligan, Father Lott made great strides for the parish and brought the parish into the post Vatican church era.” (The Catholic Northwest Progress, May 31, 2007).

An addition with an entrance from Third Street was added in 1961.

Circa 1963. Aerial view of Saint Hubert Church with addition (Courtesy South Whidbey Historical Society).

1971. Aerial view of Saint Hubert church (Courtesy Ben Breedlove).

2004. Saint Hubert addition seen from Third Street (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

2004. Saint Hubert addition seen from Third Street (Courtesy Robert Waterman).

2004. Saint Hubert addition seen from Third Street (Courtesy Robert Waterman).