St. Theresa of Avila Roman Catholic Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Theresa of Avila Roman Catholic Parish Complex
|
|
 |
|
| Location | 8666 Quincy Street Detroit, Michigan |
|---|---|
| Built | 1919 |
| Architect | Van Leyen, Schilling & Keough, Edward Schilling |
| Architectural style | Late 19th And 20th century Revivals, Romanesque Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000786 |
| Added to NRHP | July 14, 1989 |
The St. Theresa of Avila Roman Catholic Church is a historic church located at 8666 Quincy Street in Detroit, Michigan. Because of its special history and architecture, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. The church is part of a larger group of buildings called a parish complex.
Contents
A Look at the Parish Complex
The St. Theresa of Avila Parish Complex is made up of four main buildings: the church, a rectory (where priests lived), a school, and a convent (where nuns lived). All four buildings were designed in a style called Romanesque Revival. This style was inspired by buildings from the Middle Ages. They are all built with dark red brick and decorated with a type of limestone from Indiana.
The Church Building
The church itself is a beautiful example of Italian Romanesque style. It also has features from Byzantine and Art Deco designs. The front of the church has a large sloped roof and a tower on each side. To enter, you walk through a grand, two-story porch with five arches. Above the entrance, there is a large, circular window.
Other Buildings on the Property
- The School: The school is a large, three-story building shaped like the letter "I".
- The Rectory: This building was the house for the priests. It has five main sections on its front and an entrance in the middle, with many Romanesque details.
- The Convent: The convent was built during the Great Depression, a difficult time for the economy. Because of this, it has simpler decorations than the other buildings. Its entrance is in a central section that stands out from the rest of the building.
Why Is This Place Important?
The St. Theresa of Avila Parish was originally founded for Irish-American families in Detroit. It was built in the early 20th century when Detroit was growing rapidly because of the car industry. Many people were moving to the city for jobs, and the community was wealthy enough to build this amazing complex.
The parish closed in 1989. Later, the school building was used by the Allen Academy, a charter school for students from kindergarten to 12th grade, from 1999 until 2016. For a time between 1990 and 1998, the school was also run as the Martyrs of Uganda Catholic Academy.
See also
In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa Teresa de Ávila (Detroit) para niños
