Abandoned churches of Detroit

**Lowell** · December-21-09, 11:43 AM

St. Peter's Lutheran School and Church

**Lowell** · December-21-09, 11:43 AM

**Lowell** · December-21-09, 11:47 AM

Church and Synagogue...
Mishkan Yisroel Synagogue aka the Blaine Shul
Later - God's Inspirational Kingdom Church
Full tour at: http://detroityes.com/news/071014/601pics/101.htm

**DetroitZack** · December-21-09, 12:16 PM

Thanks for posting, Lowell! Are those 2 in post #76 on Harper?

Retroit · December-21-09, 12:34 PM

Well said, smudge pot. The very reason people moved to Detroit is the very reason people moved out of Detroit: for a better life. If they wanted to stick it out in poverty and despair, they would have stayed in the Old World.

Is it just an illusion or was that bell tower on that First Unitarian lowered? I wonder why.

**Lowell** · December-21-09, 01:36 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitZack

Thanks for posting, Lowell! Are those 2 in post #76 on Harper?

On Pierce at Chene.

**Khartoum** · December-21-09, 03:34 PM

Whoa! St. Peter's Lutheran looks way better now that someone destroyed that stupid drop ceiling!

**DetroitZack** · December-21-09, 04:12 PM

Originally Posted by Lowell

On Pierce at Chene.

Duh, I should of known that. I remember driving by recently and the one on the right in the first picture has a fence around it.

**kathy2trips** · December-24-09, 05:59 AM

Another very interesting abandoned church is the former Presbyterian Church of the Covenant at 728 E. Grand Blvd. I went nuts looking for it; I thought it was on Preston because what looks like front doors faces Preston, but the address is EGB, as far as I can tell.

I also wonder if the old First Methodist Protestant Church at 4800 Van Dyke is still being used. I thought that was a striking church, also.

Here is a direct link to the "Churches" index of the R.L. Polk Detroit City Directory for easy identification: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/cgi/t/text...meset;seq=2684

It's interesting how some churches are identified by nationality, i.e. Ukranian, Polish, etc. There was even a Welsh Presbyterian Church on Yosemite. Who knew that area was Welsh? Detroit was certainly more diverse then than now.

**Zacha341** · December-24-09, 07:53 AM

Reduce the level of crime and theft will go along way to make Detroit's neighborhoods more attractive. Having your car stolen during service or a dinner [[it happens) or the "thought" of getting mugged is not engaging for visitors/ residents. I live in the city and these issues are a daily matter...

Originally Posted by stinkbug

I completely agree with you on that last part.

The question is, what can Detroit still do to make its remaining neighborhoods attractive like RO, Ferndale, and yes, even Hamtramck?

**Zacha341** · December-24-09, 07:57 AM

Wow! What beautiful butterscotch colored brick work and architecture... sad this building is gone down. The inside looks like a bomb went off inside. Ughh! Where is this located?

Originally Posted by Lowell

Church and Synagogue...
Mishkan Yisroel Synagogue aka the Blaine Shul
Later - God's Inspirational Kingdom Church
Full tour at: http://detroityes.com/news/071014/601pics/101.htm

**Zacha341** · December-24-09, 07:58 AM

Well stated...

Originally Posted by Retroit

That's been my observation as well, Pam. That is why I found the comments of krapug1 and Onthe405 somewhat puzzling. If there are not as many black Catholics as krapug1 thinks there should be, it is probably because when black Americans first converted to Christianity, there were not very many Catholic churches in the south, where most blacks lived. Many blacks you find in Catholic Churches came from the Caribbean, where Catholicism is/was more prevalent. If krapug1 was insinuating that the Catholic Church is racist, how would he explain the Catholic evangelizing efforts in Africa?

As for why aren't there more blacks, gays, divorcÃ©es, etc. in the Catholic Church, could it not be because they don't want to be there and not because the Catholic Church does not want them there? Last time I checked, Christ died for all people. At least that's what I hear on Sunday.

And I don't think it is too onerous for a church to have a few basic rites of initiation. Otherwise, what is the purpose of belonging to a church?

Sorry for the treadjack, but I didn't start it.

**Zacha341** · December-24-09, 08:03 AM

Yeah, I've walked up to this church. The brick and stone work is exquisite! Too bad it is abandoned. I wonder how these churches are heated. Probably out of date expensive coal converted furnaces.....

Originally Posted by DetroitZack

Here is the First Unitarian Church at 2870 Woodward [[intersection of Woodward and Edmund). It was built in 1890.

This picture is from 1906. I wonder when the house next to it was demolished.

**JLeurck** · December-27-09, 10:58 PM

Anyone have any background on this big church at 12th and Webb? I know it is the former Visitation Parish RC church, and that the Archdiocese closed back in '89, but nothing else of its history. Did any other denomination try to make a go of it, or has it sat there totally abandoned for the last 20 years? I imagine there was a school at one time to the left of the church. Looks huge. Is this anyone's old parish?

**Angela** · February-25-10, 07:06 PM

I lived across the street from Visitation back in the early 80s [[in the former rectory which had been lovely on the inside of you ignored the olive green stain on the woodwork

). By then IIRC the congregation was so small they were holding mass in what I believe was the convent at 14th and Webb. I recall it being used by another church, but not for long. There was a school next door and I remember there being a parish center with a pool around the block on Burlingame.

**swiburn** · February-26-10, 07:16 PM

Can anybody tell me where St. Martin de Porres High School was located? Was it at Visitation ? They probably renamed it St. Martin from a prior Catholic High School name. They were a real sports powerhouse in the l980s. Thanks for any help.

**DetroitZack** · March-13-10, 07:32 AM

Here is St. Agnes Church, walking through it made me pretty sad. What a waste!

**detroitbob** · March-15-10, 04:59 AM

De Porres High School was located at the old Visitation location, moved to the old Cardinal Mooney Latin High School at Sacred Heart Seminary on Linwood at West Chicago Blvd. and I believe finally moved to Precious Blood campus at Grove and Schaefer.

**detroitbob** · March-15-10, 05:09 AM

The building that was a church called Visitation was only the first series of a 3 block complex. the temporary church was designed to be the auditorium, the convent and school designed as used. On the block west, the huge 2000 seat Cathedral was to be built in the English gothic style...but when the depression hit, the plans were mothballed and the block where the Cathedral was to be built was eventually developed into low rise apartments. The plans are still extant in the Archdiocesean archives. Blessed Sacrament ended up being named the Cathedral in I believe 1936.

**kryptonite** · March-15-10, 08:46 AM

Is there a documented mental illness that causes people to obsess about abandonment in the city of Detroit? To me it's amazing that following 60%-ish population loss that there are as many old churches still operating in the city as there are. I have been to many in the downtown/midtown/Southwest Detroit area that are either managing to stay open, rebuilding attendance with some success, and some even thriving. There are success stories of churches that have managed to remain operating against all odds. How depressing to continually blog about churches, schools, businesses, factories, etc that have closed in Detroit. Some institutions have worked hard to survive in the city and deserve recognition and support, please consider helping them out. I have personally and it's a very rewarding experience.

**Hermod** · March-15-10, 09:31 AM

A church is the congregation and not the building. As members of a congregation move out of an area, the church either has to find new congregants or it will die. The other alternative is that the congregation decides to "move" the church to a new location and a new building. Sometimes the old edifice can be sold to another church that is active and needs a new or larger building. Sometimes the church is sold for another use [[there is a large model railroad hobby shop in New Jersey in a church building with the steeple removed).

The Second Church of Christ, Scientist on East Grand Boulevard just north of Jefferson was a truly magnificent facility with a large and wealthy congregation. As the congregation dwindled, the church was forced to close and the edifice was sold to a black church. I don't know if that black church still occupies the building or if it has gone the way of other Detroit churches.

**econ expat** · March-15-10, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by kryptonite

Is there a documented mental illness that causes people to obsess about abandonment in the city of Detroit? To me it's amazing that following 60%-ish population loss that there are as many old churches still operating in the city as there are. I have been to many in the downtown/midtown/Southwest Detroit area that are either managing to stay open, rebuilding attendance with some success, and some even thriving. There are success stories of churches that have managed to remain operating against all odds. How depressing to continually blog about churches, schools, businesses, factories, etc that have closed in Detroit. Some institutions have worked hard to survive in the city and deserve recognition and support, please consider helping them out. I have personally and it's a very rewarding experience.

Well, the title of the thread should be a clue about its content- not a subject you are interested in, no problem, click on another thread.
Eh, I don't bemoan the abandonment of some churches either, they were beautiful, but no longer practical or needed.

Yes, it is obvious that the parishioners long ago moved away, and who can afford to maintain these huge buildings?

Should former members all drive back to the old church? Not likely or possible- most were built before building and planning codes- maybe built solid- but many have no parking. Was not needed when everyone was walking distance to church!

I belonged to a less than 'classic' church in Detroit that was closed about 20 years ago.[[The church bldg was going to be school gym, but we never saved enough to build a permanent church building) In the last few years, we had to have members that were off duty policemen guard our cars while we were inside the church.

The congregation that leased our church decided to move to the suburbs- they were robbed at gunpoint during a church service!

**lizaanne** · March-15-10, 05:51 PM

Originally Posted by Rosa

I attended mass there a few years ago. The decor is wildly ornate and colorful, sort of like Sweetest Heart of Mary though not quite as grand. I highly recommend a visit.

Yes - there is Mass at St. Albertus twice a year a believe. It is a Traditional Latin Mass. I've wanted to go but it never fails that we have something going on and have to stay with our own parish, Assumption Grotto. Which is never ever a disappointment - Mass how Mass should be everywhere.

**detroitbob** · March-15-10, 10:28 PM

Many of the mainline churches still operating in the city of Detroit do draw a considerable number of worshippers from outside the city limits and from Windsor.

**kryptonite** · March-16-10, 06:57 AM

Originally Posted by lizaanne

Yes - there is Mass at St. Albertus twice a year a believe. It is a Traditional Latin Mass. I've wanted to go but it never fails that we have something going on and have to stay with our own parish, Assumption Grotto. Which is never ever a disappointment - Mass how Mass should be everywhere.

St. Albertus used to have monthly mass in Polish. Plus a number of events throughout the year. I have volunteered for their cleanup days in the warm season several times. Here is their web page, http://www.stalbertus.org/ I just looked at the web site recently and they had a 'mass sehedule' link underneath FAQ's. But right now the link is not active.