St. John's Catholic Church (Bangor, Maine) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. John's Catholic Church
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 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
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| Location | 217 York St., Bangor, Maine |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1855 |
| Architect | Patrick Charles Keely |
| Architectural style | Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000142 |
| Added to NRHP | April 02, 1973 |
St. John's Catholic Church is a very old church located at 217 York Street in Bangor, Maine. It was built in 1855. This was a time when many people in the United States were against immigrants, especially Irish immigrants.
The church is an important symbol of the city of Bangor's Irish-American history. It also shows a beautiful example of Gothic Revival architecture. Because of its history and design, St. John's Catholic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.
Contents
Exploring the Church's Design
St. John's Church stands on the south side of York Street. It is a large building made of brick. The church has a special shape called a cruciform plan, which means it looks like a cross from above. It has a slate roof and a strong stone foundation.
Outside Features of the Church
A tall tower, about 180 feet (55 meters) high, sticks out a little from the front of the church. You can enter the church through the main doors in the tower. There are also entrances on the sides of the tower. All these doorways have pointed, Gothic-style arches. Strong supports called buttresses help hold up the side walls and corners of the building.
Inside the Church: What You See
Inside, the church has a long main area called a nave. On the sides, there are parts called transepts, which hold smaller chapels. The columns that support the ceiling have special tops called capitals. These are decorated with designs of cherubs (like angels) and plants.
The church also has a very old organ. It was made in 1860 by a company called E. and G. G. Hook. This organ was carefully fixed up in 1981. There are fewer than 55 of these special three-manual E. & G. G. Hook organs still working today.
A Look at the Church's History
The famous architect Patrick Charles Keely designed St. John's Church. It was built between 1855 and 1856. At that time, a priest named Father Johannes Bapst was in charge.
Building During Tough Times
Many of the workers who built the church were Irish immigrants from the local area. This was a challenging time because of a movement called the Know Nothing movement. This group was very much against immigrants, especially Irish people. Because of these strong feelings, guards had to protect the construction site. They wanted to make sure no one tried to destroy the church while it was being built.
St. John's Today and Its Community Role
Today, St. John's Church is part of a larger group called St. Paul the Apostle Parish. This parish includes several other churches in the area. These are St. Mary's in Bangor, St. Joseph and St. Theresa of Avila in Brewer, St. Matthew in Hampden, and St. Gabriel in Winterport.
In 1956, a former mayor of Bangor, Dennis Soucy, started a credit union in the church's basement. It was called St. John's Credit Union. It was created to help the people who belonged to the church. This credit union is now known as Bangor Federal Credit Union. By 2013, it had grown to serve more than 14,000 members.
See also
