Our Lady of Guadalupe Church (San Jose, California) facts for kids
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Our Lady of Guadalupe Mission Chapel (1953-1960)
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McDonnell Hall
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 Location in California
Location in the United States
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| Location | 2020 East San Antonio St., San Jose, California |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| NRHP reference No. | 100000836 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | December 23, 2016 |
| Designated NHL | December 23, 2016 |
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is a Roman Catholic church in San Jose, California. It is in the Mayfair area of East San Jose. This church is very important in history. It is linked to the civil rights leader César Chávez. He went to this church and helped organize people here. The old church building is now called McDonnell Hall. It was named a National Historic Landmark in 2016.
Contents
What is Our Lady of Guadalupe Church?
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is in the Mayfair neighborhood of San Jose. It is northeast of downtown. The main church building is a modern, six-sided building. It was built in 1968.
McDonnell Hall: The Historic Building
McDonnell Hall is next to the main church. It is a rectangular building made of wood. It has a pointed roof and a stucco outside. The main door faces north and has a small porch. Inside, the building has changed a lot. It now has meeting rooms, a kitchen, classrooms, and storage.
The Journey of McDonnell Hall
McDonnell Hall was first built in 1914. It was designed by Louis Lenzen, an architect from San Jose. It was first located in West San Jose. It was home to a church called St. Martin of Tours. In 1923, two parts were added to the building. This made it look like a cross. It was updated again in 1948.
In 1953, the St. Martin's church sold the building. Another church, St. Patrick's, bought it. They wanted to start a new church in Mayfair. This was to help the many Mexican and Mexican-American Catholic people living there. The building was taken apart and rebuilt close to where it is now. From 1953 to 1968, it was the home of the growing Our Lady of Guadalupe church. In 1960, it officially became a church, not just a chapel.
After the new, modern church was built, the old building was moved again. It was moved about 450 feet (137 meters) to the northwest. This was to make room for Mayfair Park. The building was moved in 1974–75.
César Chávez and the Church
This building is very important because of its connection to César Chávez. He was a famous leader for workers' rights and civil rights. Chávez was a Roman Catholic. He was friends with Father Donald McDonnell. Father McDonnell was the first priest at Our Lady of Guadalupe. Chávez helped move the building in 1953. He also helped make it a Catholic chapel again.
The chapel became a key place for Chávez's work. It was home to his local group of the Community Service Organization. This group helped him learn many skills for his later work. Chávez moved from San Jose in 1958.
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