By 1855, New York City had the third largest German
population in the world—outranked only by Vienna and Berlin. The New
York Times, forty years later, would explain “The revolution of 1848-1849
in Germany caused many a brave German to leave his beloved Fatherland and seek
refuge within the borders of the United States. These refugees brought
with them the habits and customs of the land of their birth, and shortly after
their arrival on American soil they banded themselves together in organizations
similar to those they so dearly loved in the Old World.”
Although most German immigrants settled on Manhattan’s Lower
East Side; some went further north to the Yorkville neighborhood. There, in 1863, the Reverend C. J. Renz founded the
Immanuel German Evangelical Lutheran Church.
Initially the congregation worshiped in the old Yorkville Court
House, at 86th Street and Fourth Avenue (later renamed Park
Avenue). Later it built a modest church
building at 213-215 East 83rd Street, between Second and Third Avenues. Problems came to the German-language
congregation when the highly-popular Reverend Renz left in 1867.
By 1889, the membership had dwindled to merely 13
congregants and the church was forced to
sell its property. After receiving an
impassioned plea from his former church, Renz agreed to return. Within two years membership had rebounded to
several hundred. By March 1891, according to The New York Times, "the congregation had increased so in size that it was felt that it would would be best to have a new church edifice."
The property on East 83rd Street was repurchased and in June 1892 the old church building was demolished as architect Henry F. Erhardt completed plans for an impressive new structure. On February 12, 1893, the cornerstone was laid with, according to the New-York Tribune, “impressive ceremonies.” The street was filled with “interested spectators” and a temporary platform was erected for the event. Within the cornerstone was placed a copper box containing “a manuscript history of the church, a Bible, copies of denominational and secular papers, a number of coins, including a Columbian half-dollar, and a complete series of the new postage stamps.”
The property on East 83rd Street was repurchased and in June 1892 the old church building was demolished as architect Henry F. Erhardt completed plans for an impressive new structure. On February 12, 1893, the cornerstone was laid with, according to the New-York Tribune, “impressive ceremonies.” The street was filled with “interested spectators” and a temporary platform was erected for the event. Within the cornerstone was placed a copper box containing “a manuscript history of the church, a Bible, copies of denominational and secular papers, a number of coins, including a Columbian half-dollar, and a complete series of the new postage stamps.”
The New York Times predicted the new church “is to be a
handsome edifice in the Gothic style.” The
New-York Tribune added, “The building will contain, besides the auditorium,
a school room, apartments for the pastor, a study and a reception room.” The completed church would be capable of accommodating
800 worshipers.
The edifice was completed late in 1894. Erhardt had produced an imposing neo-Gothic
structure of buff brick trimmed in brownstone.
Equally important as the stone and brick was the vast amount of copper which covered the
central mansard and spires.
During the construction process, Erhardt had revised the plans. Now with the building completed, the “alterations, deviations, and additions” caused problems.
During the construction process, Erhardt had revised the plans. Now with the building completed, the “alterations, deviations, and additions” caused problems.
The church expected to receive a bill of $2,000, the contracted construction price (equal to about $58,000 in 2016). Instead, contractor Jacob A. Zimmerman’s bill was more than double that amount. He had added $2,041 for the extra work Erhardt had ordered. His itemized bill laid out the costs of additional labor and materials. The church not only refused to pay the extra amount, but the entire bill.
Finally, Zimmerman sued the German Evangelical Lutheran
Immanuel’s Church. On January 7, 1895, the Superior Court of New York City ruled in the contractor’s favor. The church was ordered to pay Zimmerman
$4,343.31. It was possibly these
unexpected construction costs that prompted the congregation to take out a
$38,000 mortgage on the building three years later.
In the meantime, it was not only German natives were crowding into the Lower East Side. On April 26,
1891, immigrants from Slovakia celebrated the first service of the Church of St.
Elizabeth of Hungary. The congregation
erected its first building at 345 East 4th Street in 1892.
Following the turn of the century, the German, Hungarian, and
Polish residents of the Lower East Side began migrating northward to
Yorkville. On June 10, 1917, The New
York Times reported on the “sale and resale of [an] old Yorkville landmark.” Ernest N. Adler purchased the German
Evangelical Immanuel Church and resold it the same week to the Church of St.
Elizabeth of Hungary.
After a decade in its new home, the Church of St. Elizabeth
of Hungary conducted what The New York Times called “extensive alterations.” At 11:00 on the morning of November 18, 1928
the building was rededicated by Cardinal Patrick Joseph Hayes. The newspaper pointed out that “The church,
which was formerly a Lutheran edifice, has been used by Slovak Catholics for
the last ten years.”
More than 500 parishioners—including men, women and children—met
the Cardinal at Third Avenue and 81st Street at 10:45 and marched in
procession led by a band to the church. Approximately 2,000 persons
attended the rededication, which was preceded by a solemn high mass.
photo http://www.stelizabethofhungarynyc.org/pictures.php |
The renovations included exquisite painting of the groined
ceiling. Ethereal stars floated on a
background of deep blue, and heavenly, while colorful angels sprouted from painted
clouds.
Throughout the coming decades Yorkville slowly lost its
identity as a German and Hungarian enclave. The Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary eventually
conducted services in English; and then on July 1 1980 was designated by
Cardinal Terence Cooke as New York’s official church for Deaf Catholics.
For 34 years the masses were conducted in sign
language. On November 28, 2014, Sharon
Otterman, writing in The New York Times, pointed out “The deaf travel from
across the city and Westchester County to services held on the first and third
Sundays of each month, often arriving in the morning and staying until 6
p.m. During the week, there are social
gatherings and a Tuesday club for older deaf people, who spend hours in the
church’s simple social hall, playing bingo and catching up.”
Otterman was reporting on the Church of St. Elizabeth of Hungary
because 16 days earlier Cardinal Timothy Dolan announced that the church would
be closed. The parish, along with that
of St. Stephen of Hungary, was to be merged with St. Monica’s on East 79th
Street. The deaf parishioners were
understandably concerned.
The intimate size of St. Elizabeth’s meant that the deaf could
easily see Msgr. Patrick McCahill as he celebrated mass in sign language. St. Monica’s, on the other hand, had what the monsignor called a “cathedral-size
sanctuary” making sign-language services difficult.
Pleas from the congregants went unheeded. Father McCahill questioned “I can’t
understand why it can’t stay open and independent.” He appealed “Please, don’t let these people,
who are marginalized in so many ways by society, be marginalized by the church.”
photo by Jim Henderson |
Despite petitions and supplications, St. Elizabeth of Hungary was
closed and its parish merged with St. Monica’s. Henry F. Erhardt’s handsome Gothic structure
stands silently on East 83rd Street, having served three singular congregations
for 120 years.
UPDATE: With the structure threatened with demolition, an appeal to preserve is underway in 2024. Donations of money or time should be addressed to friends-ues-org.
non-credited photographs by the author
no permission to reuse the content of this blog has been granted to LaptrinhX.com
The NY diocese has become nothing more than a corporation with real estate and land holdings that they have decided are more important than the values and consideration of their parishioners, architectural history and congregations. Community means absolutely nothing. The church is overflowing with money, but not for parishes that are slated for closure and sell off to developers. Sad
ReplyDeleteThere's no reason why this parish couldn't remain open.
ReplyDeleteMoney is everyone's bottom line.
Lorraine
I wonder how many people know that the Archdiocese has a zero ownership interest in parish assets, and they are taking advantage of a technicality in the NYS Religious Corporations Law to rob the people blind.
ReplyDeleteThe church is in my backyard, literally speaking.. Wondering whats gonna become of it? I always wanted to see how it looks inside..
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure if you'll be notified of a comment years later, but I learned that the church is slated to be torn down.
DeleteIt's also in my backyard & I'm devastated.
I would like to find an option to save it.
Thank you for that update. I had not heard of demolition plans yet.
Delete