St. Patrick, Pilottown

The Reverend Roger Smith, pastor of Saint Ignatius in Hickory, Hartford County, Maryland, bought the half-acre plot for a chapel and burial ground. In 1819, the chapel was built and the first Mass was offered. Saint Patrick's was one of five missions that Saint Ignatius in Hickory was responsible for serving. It was also the only one of these missions that never became an independent parish.

With the advent of the railroad and the Conowingo Hydroelectric Dam, canal commerce diminished and the population shifted away from Pillottown. The chapel was abandoned several times during its history. In spite of sporadic restoration attempts, the chapel frequently experienced neglect. A passerby in the 1920s remarked tat the grounds were overgrown with brush, the front door swinging on its hinges, and the interior invaded by animals. Most old wood framed buildings would not have withstood such an assault. However, this building refused to collapse; refused to die.

In 1934, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered to commemorate the 125th anniversary of St. Patrick's. There were plans to renovate the chapel, but these plans were sidelined because of the Great Depression and World War 2. In the 1990s the parish obtained a small grant from the Cecil County Historical Trust to renovate the chapel. The Saint Patrick's Chapel Historical Society was formed in 2006 and was dedicated to the chapel's restoration. A fundraising campaign ensued and in 2009 the restoration contract was awarded. In September 2010, the restoration work was completed and the chapel was rededicated by the Most Reverend W. Francis Malooly, the 9th Bishop of Wilmington. Mass continues to be offered at St. Patrick's annually.