Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel facts for kids
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Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel
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 Location in Hudson County, New Jersey
Location in New Jersey
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2019 West Street Union City, New Jersey |
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| Area | 13 acres (5.3 ha) |
| Built | 1875 |
| Architect | Keely, Patrick C.; Et al. |
| Architectural style | Second Empire, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 86000418 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | March 6, 1986 |
The Monastery and Church of Saint Michael the Archangel is a very old and important building in Union City, New Jersey. People often call it Saint Michael's Monastery Church. It is recognized as a special historic place in both New Jersey and the United States.
This large complex officially opened in 1869, with the main construction finished by 1875. It sits between West Street and Summit Avenue, from 18th to 21st Streets. A small road called Monastery Place leads to its front. This church was once the biggest Roman Catholic church in Hudson County. Today, a Presbyterian church uses part of the building. Other parts of the land are now used for homes and schools.
Contents
History of Saint Michael's Church
Building the Monastery and Church
In 1861, a group of priests called the Passionists started their work in the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Newark. By 1864, they had built a monastery in what was then called West Hoboken. This area is now the southern part of Union City. The land, which was about 12.3 acres, was given to them by J. Kerrigan. He owned Kerrigan Farm, and Kerrigan Avenue is named after him.
The monastery began operating in 1864. The church, with its unique dome, was designed in 1869 by an Irish-American architect named Patrick Keely. The first stone of the church was laid in 1869, and it was finished in 1875. The church opened its doors later that year. More parts were added to the complex in 1914, 1929, and 1944. In 1934, an artist named Hildreth Meière was asked to create three paintings for the church's chapel. These paintings showed the patron saints of the church.
Important Events and Changes
In 1876, special items belonging to Saint Benedict were placed near the main altar. For a long time, Saint Michael's was the largest Roman Catholic church in Hudson County.
In 1934, a big fire happened. It was one of the largest fires ever in the North Hudson area. This fire completely destroyed the church's domed section. All three of Hildreth Meière's original paintings were also lost. The church was rebuilt and reopened the next year. Meière was then asked to create 14 more paintings for the monastery.
The monastery continued to serve the local community. Many people in the area were from Irish, German, Italian, and Hispanic backgrounds. The monastery was a place where future priests studied and where church leaders lived.
Closing and New Beginnings
The monastery closed in 1980. The entire complex closed in 1981. This happened because fewer people were attending church, and there were not enough students wanting to become priests. Also, it cost too much money to keep up the large buildings.
After another fire in 1984, the owners tried to sell the property. It was the last large piece of undeveloped land in Union City. A company wanted to build a shopping center there. However, the city stopped this plan. They changed the rules for the land, so only single-family homes could be built there.
In 1983, Saint Michael's Parish joined with another nearby church, Saint Joseph's Parish. They became one church called Saint Joseph and Michael's Parish. In 1986, the complex was officially listed on both the state and national lists of historic places.
Also in 1986, the monastery and church were sold for a very low price. A Korean Presbyterian church from Palisades Park bought it. This church had about 100 members. They renamed the building Hudson Presbyterian Church.
On August 19, 1994, a third fire damaged a large part of the monastery building. Luckily, the church itself was not harmed.
New Uses for the Land
The park areas around the church, which people used for sports, were sold. On one part of the land, two apartment buildings and a housing complex for families with lower incomes were built. These replaced the part of the monastery that was destroyed by the 1994 fire.
In 2002, the José Martí Middle School and a branch of the Union City Public Library were built on the southern side of the monastery grounds. They opened in 2004. When Union City High School opened in 2008, José Martí Middle School became a place for first-year high school students. It was called José Martí Freshman Academy. In 2019, it changed again to José Martí STEM Academy.
In 2014, a group called Preservation New Jersey (PNJ) added the church to its list of "Ten Most Endangered Historic Places in New Jersey." This was because the building was getting old and falling apart. The Korean Presbyterian church, which had been using it since 1986, had fewer than 100 members in 2011. They could not raise enough money to fix the building. Saint Michael's Church was the fourth place in Union City to be put on PNJ's list. Besides the damage the building had before it was bought in 1984, rain also damaged the beautiful paintings by Hildreth Meière. These artworks can no longer be seen by the public.
See also
