St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church facts for kids
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St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church
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St. Albertus façade
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| Location | 4231 St. Aubin Street Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Henry Engelbert |
| Architectural style | Polish Cathedral style, Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 78001522 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | January 18, 1978 |
The St. Albertus Roman Catholic Church is a historic church in the Forest Park area of Detroit, Michigan. It was recognized as a Michigan State Historic Site in 1974. Later, in 1978, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This church is an important part of Detroit's history.
History of St. Albertus Church
In the 1800s, many Polish immigrants came to Detroit. By the mid-1850s, a large number of Polish families lived in the city. Most of these immigrants came from parts of Poland that were controlled by Prussia. They often settled near German-speaking areas of Detroit. After the American Civil War, more immigrants from Poland, called Kashubians, joined them.
Many Polish and Kashubian immigrants first went to St. Joseph's Church. This church mainly spoke German. However, the Polish churchgoers wanted a church where they could worship in their own language.
In 1870, Polish families began to organize their own church. They formed the St. Stanislaus Kostka Society. With approval from Bishop Caspar Borgess, they started collecting money. In 1871, the St. Albertus Parish was officially created. It had about 300 Polish families. That same year, the parish bought land on St. Aubin Avenue. They hired architect John Wiesenhoffèr. Construction of a wooden church began in 1872.
The church was named after St. Wojciech. Early leaders used the Latin name Adalbertus, which is St. Albertus or St. Albert in English. The new St. Albertus Church attracted many Poles to the area. This led to Detroit's first Polish neighborhood, known as "Poletown".
In 1882, Father Dominic Hippolytus Kolasinski became the pastor. He was a very inspiring leader. He encouraged his church members to build a much larger church. The parish hired architect Henry Engelbert to design a church for 2,500 people. The Spitzely Brothers of Detroit built it for $61,000.
Construction started in 1883. The new church was dedicated on July 4, 1885. At that time, St. Albertus was the largest Catholic church in Michigan. It was also the first church in Detroit to have steam heat and electric lights.
Father Kolasinski faced some disagreements within the church. In November 1885, he was asked to leave his position. He first tried to stay but eventually left Detroit. He moved to the Dakota Territory for a new church role.
However, many of Kolasinski's followers stayed in Detroit. They started their own church school. When John Samuel Foley became Bishop of Detroit in 1888, Kolasinski returned. He then started a new church called Sweetest Heart of Mary. This church was separate from the main Catholic Diocese. St. Albertus is known as the "mother church" for over 30 Polish Catholic churches in the area. This includes Sweetest Heart of Mary, St. Josaphat, and St. Stanislaus.
A rectory, which is a home for the priest, was built next to the church in 1891. A school was built behind the church in 1917. This new school replaced two older school buildings. The St. Albertus parish closed in 1990 as part of a reorganization by the Archdiocese of Detroit.
In 1991, a group of church members formed The Polish American Historic Site Association (PAHSA). Their goal was to protect and preserve St. Albertus. The church still holds monthly Masses in Polish, English, and Latin. It is also open for tours and weddings.
Rev. John A. Lemke was born in Detroit in 1866. He was the son of Polish immigrants from Prussia. He became the first native-born Roman Catholic priest of Polish descent in the United States. He was baptized at St. Mary's Church. He attended St. Albertus for his early education.
Architecture and Design
St. Albertus is a brick building. It is about 200 feet (61 meters) long and 70 feet (21 meters) wide. The church originally had a tall spire that was 280 feet (85 meters) high. However, the spire was damaged in a windstorm in 1913. It was then shortened.
The outside of St. Albertus is made of plain brick. But the inside is very decorative, with a Medieval style. The altars, the baptismal font, and the lower wall panels are made of patterned terra-cotta. The ceiling has beautiful paintings. There are 63 pieces of painted plaster sculptures inside the church. The windows are decorated with Medieval-style stained glass.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Alberto (Detroit) para niños
- History of the Polish Americans in Metro Detroit
- Archdiocese of Detroit
