St. Thomas the Apostle's Church (Detroit, Michigan)
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and Rectory | |
U.S. National Register of Historic Places | |
![]() St Thomas the Apostle, 1989 | |
Location | 8363-8383 Townsend Avenue Detroit, Michigan |
---|---|
Coordinates | 42°23′24″N 83°1′28″W / 42.39000°N 83.02444°WCoordinates: 42°23′24″N 83°1′28″W / 42.39000°N 83.02444°W |
Built | 1923 |
Architect | Van Leyen, Schilling & Keough |
Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th century revival |
Demolished | c. 1994 |
NRHP reference No. | 89000785[1] |
Added to NRHP | June 29, 1989 |
St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church was a church located at 8363 and 8383 Townsend Avenue in Detroit, Michigan. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989,[1] but was subsequently demolished.[2]
History[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/47/St_Thomas_the_Apostle_Detroit_DEMOLISHED.jpg/220px-St_Thomas_the_Apostle_Detroit_DEMOLISHED.jpg)
St. Thomas the Apostle Parish was a Polish-American Roman Catholic parish founded in 1914, at the eastern edge of the east side Polish neighborhoods of Detroit.[2] A church was constructed in 1923, and the parish had both a grade school and a high school.[2] The parish was one of the first to experience changes in population, as the original Polish residents began moving out in the mid-20th century. The parish was closed in 1989, and the church demolished soon after.[2]
The school currently serves as St. Thomas Assessment Center for troubled youths.[3]
Description[]
The parish complex at St. Thomas the Apostle comprised six buildings, including the church, rectory, school, and convent.[4]
The church was essentially of Romanesque design, with some Art Deco aspects. It was built of brick laid over Dennison interlocking tile, sitting atop a limestone base. The building was trimmed with limestone and Tuscan glazed faience in various colors.[4] The facade was a series of gable-roof blocks, roofed with Spanish tile. The primary entrance was through a central, side-gable block, sized to match the nave.[4] The entrance was recessed into the center of a projecting porch and surrounded by columned arches. A massive Eucharistic relief was set high in the center of the facade.[4] The church boasted a wealth of decorative art, including stained glass and bronze works.[4]
The rectory was a large, two-story building with a dormer-attic.[4]
References[]
- ^ a b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. April 15, 2008.
- ^ a b c d St. Thomas the Apostle Roman Catholic Church Profile 1985 from PolishAncestry.com
- ^ St. Thomas Assessment Center from Holy Cross
- ^ a b c d e f Saint Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church and Rectory from the state of Michigan
- Former Roman Catholic church buildings in Michigan
- Polish-American culture in Detroit
- Roman Catholic churches completed in 1923
- Demolished buildings and structures in Detroit
- Demolished churches in the United States
- Buildings and structures demolished in 1994
- National Register of Historic Places in Detroit
- Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Michigan
- 20th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in the United States