St. Florian Church (Hamtramck, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Florian Historic District
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Facade of St. Florian
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | Roughly bounded by Joseph Campau Ave., Holbrook Ave., Dequindre, Norwalk, Lumpkin, and Yemans Sts., Hamtramck, Michigan |
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| Area | 83 acres (34 ha) |
| Built | 1908, 1926 |
| Architect | Ralph Adams Cram |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman, Polish Cathedral style |
| NRHP reference No. | 84001865 |
| Added to NRHP | September 13, 1984 |
St. Florian Church is a beautiful Roman Catholic Church located at 2626 Poland Street in Hamtramck, Michigan. It was designed by a famous architect named Ralph Adams Cram. This church is a special landmark in Hamtramck, known for its amazing design and its important role in the community's history.
Contents
A Church for the Community
St. Florian's parish was created mainly for Polish families. Many of these families were immigrants from Poland. They moved to Hamtramck after the Dodge car factory opened in 1910, looking for work.
By 1907, many Polish immigrants were working in car plants like Ford, Dodge, and Packard. They settled in Hamtramck or nearby areas of Detroit. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit saw that these Polish residents needed a church. So, they started the St. Florian parish in 1907. St. Florian is the patron saint of Poland. At first, church services were held in a simple storefront.
The first church building for St. Florian began construction in March 1908. The first stone was laid on July 12, 1908, and the church opened on January 10, 1909. As more people joined, the first building quickly became too small. The church members raised a lot of money to build a much bigger church.
The Magnificent Church Building
Ralph Adams Cram, a well-known architect, was chosen to design the new church. He was famous for making Gothic architecture popular in the United States. He created a stunning building that won an award from American Architect magazine in 1929.
Cram used modern building methods for the church. He built it on a strong steel frame and used bricks for the outside. Construction on this grand church started in January 1926. It was officially opened on October 21, 1928. Nearly 5,000 people came to celebrate its opening. The special cornerstone of the church has words written in both Latin and Polish.
This church is a huge and impressive example of the Polish Cathedral style. The church's tall spire reaches almost 200 feet into the sky. It was designed to stand out against the industrial factories of Hamtramck. St. Florian is the tallest building in Hamtramck, and its shape is even used in the city's logo. The church is taller than the main cathedral for the Detroit area. It can seat 1,200 people, and its beautiful altar was made in Italy.
The front of the church has a wide Gothic Arch. It is flanked by two tall spires that look light and delicate. The brickwork is amazing, with different patterns of bricks.
Inside St. Florian Church
The inside of the church has a long main area called the nave. It has six sections topped with a rib vault ceiling. This ceiling is blue with painted vines. The main aisle has two smaller aisles on its sides. High up in each section, there is a small rose window. On the sides, there are large, beautiful stained glass windows. These windows were made by the Kase Company in New York. A large, fancy rose window is above the organ area.
Many of the stained glass windows tell stories. One window even shows Nicolaus Copernicus, a famous astronomer. The windows near the altar show five Polish saints: Casimir, Florian, Hedwig, Hyacinth, and Stanislaus. Other windows show scenes from the life and teachings of Jesus Christ.
The church also has a large Pipe organ from 1928. It was updated and celebrated again in 2008.
In the past, St. Florian Church was very busy. It had as many as seven priests and 3,000 students in its school. Many people stayed with the church their whole lives. Today, the church has about 600 members.
In 2011, the Archdiocese of Detroit looked at the future of many churches. For St. Florian's, they suggested a few paths. One idea was for the church to continue its mission for Polish immigrants in Hamtramck.
Special Moments and History
St. Florian Church has been part of many important events:
- In 1969, Karol Wojtyła, who later became Pope John Paul II, celebrated Mass at St. Florian.
- The church was also used as a filming location for some scenes in the movie Polish Wedding.
- Detroit City councilman Kenneth Cockrel graduated from St. Florian High School, which is now closed.
Since St. Florian is the patron saint of firefighters, the church hosts an annual firefighters' mass. This event happens on the first Saturday in May, along with the St. Florian Strawberry festival.
In 2008, a special Mass was held with Cardinal Adam Maida. He spoke about the Felician Sisters, who opened the parish's elementary school 99 years earlier and its high school in 1940. He also thanked the church members for their hard work and support. The Cardinal also mentioned Pope John Paul II's visit to Hamtramck in 1987.
On November 23, 2009, the church celebrated its 100th birthday!
Historical Markers
To mark its important history, a Michigan Historical marker was placed near the church in 2007. It explains that St. Florian Parish was founded in 1907 for the growing Polish Catholic community in Detroit. By the 1920s, it was the second largest Catholic parish in Detroit. The marker also notes that American Architect magazine named it the best new church in America in 1929.
Another part of the marker talks about the Saint Florian Historic District. This area includes the church and the surrounding neighborhood. Hamtramck grew very quickly when immigrants from Eastern Europe came to work in the nearby Dodge, Ford, and Packard car plants. The population of Hamtramck jumped from 3,559 people in 1910 to 48,615 in 1920! The district shows how the close-knit Polish community lived there.
See also
- History of the Polish Americans in Metro Detroit
- Archdiocese of Detroit
- Polish Cathedral style
- St. Florian's Cathedral Warsaw, Poland
