St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Parish Complex
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| Location | 5818 Dubois Street Detroit, Michigan |
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| Built | 1911–13 |
| Architect | Kastler & Hunter, Harry J. Rill |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival, Beaux-Arts, Renaissance Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000788 |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 1989 |
The St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Roman Catholic Church is a beautiful old church building. It is located at 5818 Dubois Street in Detroit, Michigan. This special building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. This means it is recognized as an important historical place in the United States.
Contents
History of St. Stanislaus Church
Early Days and Growth
The St. Stanislaus church community started in 1898. It was created to help with the large number of people attending St. Albertus. Many Polish families lived in the area. The new community bought a church and school from the Protestant Bethel Church. In 1900, a new elementary school was built for the children. Reverend F. G. Zella was the first leader of the church.
Between 1905 and 1910, the number of people in the church community doubled. Because of this growth, a much larger church building was needed.
Building the Grand Church
In 1911, construction began on a magnificent new church. It was designed in a grand style called Baroque. The inside of the church had a very fancy style known as Beaux-Arts. The building was finished in 1913.
Later, in 1921, a building called a convent was built. This was for the Felician Sisters, who were nuns. They helped run the school. Seven years later, in 1928, a high school was also built. By the late 1940s, St. Stanislaus had the largest Polish parish school in all of Michigan.
Changes Over Time
After World War II, the neighborhood around the church began to change. Many Polish Catholic families moved out of the city and into the suburbs. Also, a major highway, Interstate 94, was built. This highway went through the neighborhood. It divided the church community and caused many families to move away.
Because of these changes, fewer students attended the school. The elementary school closed in 1968. The high school closed a few years later in 1973. The convent building was taken down not long after that.
Recent Years and New Uses
The church community saw a small comeback in the late 1970s. However, in 1989, the Archdiocese of Detroit made some changes. The St. Stanislaus church community was officially closed.
The Archdiocese sold the church building in 1989. It was bought by Sam Koontz, an organist from the University of Michigan. In 1995, the Promise Land Missionary Baptist Church bought the building from Mr. Koontz's family. However, they lost the building in 2012.
In January 2013, the church building was put up for sale. It needed a lot of repair work. Some of its beautiful stained glass windows and other parts had been removed. The old school buildings next door were not affected. They now house the Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de San Estanislao Obispo y Mártir (Detroit) para niños
- Polish Cathedral style
