West Side Polish Catholic Info. Re-Visited

[mortalman]

I was looking for some detailed information about the West Side Polish Catholic Community. I know there's a Hall of Fame Thread that goes into quite a lot of detail concerning this topic because I was involved in a lot of it as a lurker, mostly. But, I'm interested in some family stories that go back a long way that includes much of the landscape of the Polish Catholic Community. But, this is not just for Polish Catholics from the West Side of Detroit because I'm sure there are lots of people that have no affiliation with either ethnic or religious portions of the thread "Title".

I would just like to dialog with interested members about this topic. I'm interested in some landmarks and "institutions" related to some of the Polish Parishes on the West Side. I tried to delve into the Sanborn Maps to get allot of the information I'm looking for but my hats off to you people that know how to navigate that website. I have access to it and I can spend hours looking for something and never even get close to a map location of a landmark I'm looking for at all. Besides, the human element is lost for me in just getting the analytical data from a website like that.

So, my first area of interest is St. Francis D'Assisi on Wesson and Buchanan. It is a beautiful Catholic complex that is mostly still intact all except for the school which has become "Hope of Detroit Academy". One of my 1st questions from some of you West Siders is do you know how long St. Francis' School existed, what grades it served, i.e.grade school, high school, etc., what order of nuns ran the school, was Polish part of the curriculum, when the school closed down and any other pertinent information related to St. Francis' School? Also, is the "Hope of Detroit Academy" part of the Detroit Public School System and if so what is there purpose and scope?

These are just startes as I have a lot of questions. There's very little on the website related to these questions and there's very little information that I can find about St. Francis D'Assisi at all. If anyone has a Sanborn map of the St. Francis D' Assisi entire complex that would be great and the later the better to include as much of the plant and buildings as currently exists.Is the location of the church geographically located in what was Springwells at one time in the early days of the parish?

Thanks for your help. My busia, babka or babcia for some of you, is just too old to remember these things. And, my dziadzia has been dead for more years than I can remember. Again, thanks.

[sumas]

My husband grew up on Junction and he attended St Francis school. His parent spoke Polish but it wasn't taught at the school. When Junction was Springwell twsp, Junction was called Lovers Lane. I will ask him to read your post and hopefully he can add to your knowledge.

[mortalman]

Thanks sumas! Your few words have solved a bit of the mystery. From what you said the location of St. Francis D'Assisi was initially in Springwells Township and Junction was called Lovers Lane. That might be the reason I was having so much trouble locating St. Francis D'Assisi in the Sanborn Maps. I was looking for the wrong names in the wrong places. But, those Sanborn Maps are still hard to negotiate no matter what!

Some of this stuff is a common problems because I had a devil of a time locating some businesses for another thread one time on the east side. I was looking for businesses that were supposed to be on Canfield but the problem was that Canfield at that time was called Fremont. I'm sure this is not a unique problem for the uninitiated or even the initiated. There used to be a book if I'm not mistaken that listed the names and numbering systems that existed in Detroit at one time and it converted them to what the new names and numbers had became. The problem was that this book was as hard to find as "chicken lips" and then when I did find a used copy it was so ridiculously expensive that it was way out of my budget. So, then I went to the main library where the Burton Collection is located and pages were missing out of that book where some idiot had torn out the pages. I hate when I run across that. I used to have that problem when I lived in Hollywood. When I went to the main library there to look at old books of old time Hollywood invariably photos of the silent stars were ripped out of the books.

Back to the topic at hand I hope your husband, sumas and/or others can shed some light on some of the questions I originally asked in this thread.

Some other questions that popped up which you would think would have easy answers do not. I can't seem to find any background information on the architect or the architectural style of the church itself and some of the unique styles of some of the other buildings in the complex like the Parish Center and what looks like the auditorium building next door. There doesn't seem to be any information on the beautiful organ in the back of the church, either. So, if anyone has any information about these questions they would be appreciated. I have tried to get information from the parish offices but the "gatekeeper" has no interest in answering any questions or directing anyone to where to get the answers. The pastor there is sick according to the office so he is inaccessible for the time being. It's also my understanding from some that have minimal information about the parish that they claim it is the oldest operating parish in the Detroit Archdiocese. I thought Sweetest Heart of Mary held that distinction.

More questions! Hopefully there are some people that can help answer these questions. Thanks.

[Hornwrecker]

St Francis, architects Kastler & Hunter 1905: Sanborn Volume 12-c.1924, sheet 53

Attachment 5863

[Hornwrecker]

St. Francis parish, 1910

[swiburn]

Here are some numbers on the St. Francis of Assisi School. It closed in l999.

1933-l,229 students

l968-280 " "

l980s-285 " "

school closed ‘99

[ronaldj]

I went to St. Francis School. It served K through 8 only.

I was an altar boy who served the early [[6:30 AM?) masses. That is why I do not get up in the morning and still squirm if required to sit in a pew. While walking to mass, I recall the groundskeeper plinking a rifle at the pigeons in the bell tower.

The nuns were the Order of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The first dead person I saw was Monsignor Gannas. He was laid out in the rectory and I swear he exhaled as we filed past past the bier.

I served as a safety patrol boy. There was local bakery on the corner of Campbell and Buchanan.

There were two funeral homes on Wesson and Buchanan. If I recall correctly, they were Jarszembowski and Sajewski. Stood safety parol on those corners also.

A long standing pastor was Father Kowalczyk. Two of my sisters wanted a double wedding in the beautiful Church. He refused because my parents were no longer parish members. My parents continued to supprt the Lenten fish fries and other events. One year the good father asked my dad after the family. My dad asked why he should care as he refused to marry his daughters.

[ronaldj]

Two other notes.

Mistele Coal Company was in the neighborhood.

Lowell has a great photo of the church for sale.

[ronaldj]

Oh, the spouse was wrong. St Fransis taught Polish through the third grade. Mom and Dad used it as a secret language until we could understand it. After that they spoke English in the bedroom with the door closed.

[caspermi]

I lived in the West Side from 1959-1980. These are some of the Polish parishes that I remember from that era. St. Hedwig's Parish [[church and school) on Junction. I attended St Stephens school and church [[on Central) during the 60's and 70's where we had Felician Sisters. I than went to St Andrew High School located on McGraw and Cecil where the Felician Sisters also taught. There was also Our Lady Queen of Angels on Martin, St. Lawrence on Lonyo, St Cunnegunda on St Lawrence St.

I remember in grade school having the big May processions outside walking around the parish grounds. It was a huge event with the older altar boys carrying a big statue of the Blessed Mothers and scores of priests and the school kids following behind.

[mortalman]

Thanks for the Sanborn Map, Hornwrecker! You must be a magician!! How's chances of getting one of those Sanborn maps for St. Hedwig over on Junction. Trying to get info from the current St. Francis people is like trying to find "chicken lips" for sale at the Chene-Ferry Market! Thanks.

[szla]

The parish was started in 1889 the second Polish parish along the Michigan Avenue neighborhoods. "The present church located on the Northeast corner of Wesson and Buchanan was designed by Kastle and Hunter. The corner stone was laid in 1903 and completed in 1905. The church is 230 ft long and 123 ft wide, it has the capacity to seat 1,700 people. It is constructed of Malvern brick with carved Bedford trim. The cost of construction was $150,000 dollars [[Approximately 2 million 1998 dollars) The style of the church is Italian Renaissance. " The first Polish parish on the westside was St Casimir at 23rd and Buchanon. It was modeled after St Peter's in Rome and was even more stunning. There is a nice photo on stcasimir.com.

[mortalman]

szla, Thank you for all the great information about St. Francis. For some reason or other I haven't been able to find much info about St. Francis D'Assisi. The website is hard to negotiate and navigate and I haven't been able to come by the detail info you provided. Thanks, again. Are or were you a parishioner of St. Francis? Are you familiar with the neighborhood. if you look NW of the church there is a abadoned factory with one of the old style water towers. Do you happen to know what that factory was and if it was a place of employment of parishioners from St. Francis. Kind of like the "Dodge Main" of the west side.

[jackie5275]

I just looked at their website. It appears to be having problems. Many of the questions you're asking can be answered there if it was in better shape. My dad went there as a kid in the 1930s & 40s. He attended the school too. These days they are clustered with St. Hedwig & share the priest, Fr. Rob Wochiejewski whose been there around 20 yrs.

The building that is now the parish center across the street from the church used to be Jarzembowski funeral home. This was the original one. A second one was established in Warrendale. For a numbers of years, both locations were open. However, the original was closed in the late 1990s when a staff member was shot & killed in the building.

[DetroitPlanner]

There were two funeral homes on Wesson and Buchanan. If I recall correctly, they were Jarszembowski and Sajewski. Stood safety parol on those corners also.

The funeral homes still operate in Warrendale. I don't ever recall a murder at one of them. Warrendale is becoming less polish as the old folks die off and there heirs look to other regions of the country for employment. There still is a good polish bakery in Warrendale known as the Chene-Modern Bakery.

[jackie5275]

The funeral homes still operate in Warrendale. I don't ever recall a murder at one of them.

The murder didn't happen at the Warrendale location. It happened at the original location at Wesson & Buchanan across the street from St. Francis D'Assisi.

[Johnnie Sue Bridges]

mortalman


St Francis is my old neighborhood. Although I did not attend the school, us neighborhood kids practicly lived on the playground, back in the 1970s.

At our 35th Street Reunion, we had several folks show up that went to St Francis School, including a teacher. Her students honored her. Some of my family members went there as well as St. Hedwig and Holy Reedeemer.

I do believe you said you were looking for stories from the neighborhood. My book entitled Motown Girl Sister Golden Hair goes into great detail about the neighborhood and our people that lived there. Info on the book is available on my Web site www.johnniesuebridges.com or on amazon or any other places where books are sold. If you just have questions, feel free to ask. I love to talk about the neighborhood.

Johnnie Sue Bridges

[DetroitPole]

Just went to St. Francis this past Sunday. Pretty decently attended, all things considered.

[Johnnie Sue Bridges]

Just went to St. Francis this past Sunday. Pretty decently attended, all things considered.

Hi DetroitPole,
I drove by St Francis one day to snap some photos, and the children were playing on the playground. That made me so happy.

[Hornwrecker]

St Hedwig: Sanborn vol 12, 1924, sheet 77

Attachment 5869

St Casimir, Sanborn vol 2, 1921, sheet 53

Attachment 5870

{These were posted in the Early Polish Detroit thread in the HOF, but are a pain to get to now, so I'll repost them.}

[mortalman]

I went to St. Francis School. It served K through 8 only.

I was an altar boy who served the early [[6:30 AM?) masses. That is why I do not get up in the morning and still squirm if required to sit in a pew. While walking to mass, I recall the groundskeeper plinking a rifle at the pigeons in the bell tower.

The nuns were the Order of the Immaculate Heart of Mary.

The first dead person I saw was Monsignor Gannas. He was laid out in the rectory and I swear he exhaled as we filed past past the bier.

I served as a safety patrol boy. There was local bakery on the corner of Campbell and Buchanan.

There were two funeral homes on Wesson and Buchanan. If I recall correctly, they were Jarszembowski and Sajewski. Stood safety parol on those corners also.

A long standing pastor was Father Kowalczyk. Two of my sisters wanted a double wedding in the beautiful Church. He refused because my parents were no longer parish members. My parents continued to support the Lenten fish fries and other events. One year the good father asked my dad after the family. My dad asked why he should care as he refused to marry his daughters.

ronaldj you mentioned that the sisters were from the Immaculate Heart of Mary but when I researched further by reading their 100th Anniversary book I found out they were the Sister's of St. Joseph.

[mortalman]

I just looked at their website. It appears to be having problems. Many of the questions you're asking can be answered there if it was in better shape. My dad went there as a kid in the 1930s & 40s. He attended the school too. These days they are clustered with St. Hedwig & share the priest, Fr. Rob Wochiejewski whose been there around 20 yrs.

The building that is now the parish center across the street from the church used to be Jarzembowski funeral home. This was the original one. A second one was established in Warrendale. For a numbers of years, both locations were open. However, the original was closed in the late 1990s when a staff member was shot & killed in the building.

jackie5275, you cleared up the mystery to me about the location of Jarzembowski Funeral Home being across the street that is now the parish center. I thought they were located catercorner from when you said it was because there is still a large building on that corner that looks like it was some kind of business at one time. I thought that was the funeral home. That would be on the SE corner of Wesson and Buchanan. Any idea what that used to be? There's also a orange brick building on the NE corner of Buchanan and 35th. any idea what that used to be? I hope I've got my orientation correct on the location of those two buildings. While I'm at it does anyone know what that abandoned factory traveling north on Wesson on the west side of the street? The one with the old fashion water tower on the roof.

Thanks allot for those Sanborn Insurance Maps of Sts. Hedwig and Casimir Churches, Hornwrecker. Like I said I figure you must be a Warlock the way you can figure out those Sanborn maps. How do you get those colors in the maps you post? Even after going back to the Sanborn Maps for St. Francis where you gave me the year, dates and page I could find any 12c but it did help me and I found it on my copy of the maps. I guess they must all be the same but who knows. Are they still in that business? Do you know if there are Sanborn Maps for New York City and Passaic, New Jersey? My family came from Poland to NYC and NJ and then moved to Detroit. So, it would be interesting to see what the maps say about where they lived, worked and prayed. The Catholic Church they belonged to doesn't even exist anymore but the tenement they lived in in Manhattan is still there.

All this genealogy would have been so much easier to ask these questions when they were all still alive. Having to root it out of the records is tedious, frustrating and time consuming.

Thanks all.

[Lferg]

Here is an interesting article from 1890 regarding the Dedication of St. Casimir's. There is a brief mention of St. Francis at then end.

http://web.me.com/twozniak/St._Casim...mirDed1890.pdf

[Hornwrecker]

jackie5275

Thanks allot for those Sanborn Insurance Maps of Sts. Hedwig and Casimir Churches, Hornwrecker. Like I said I figure you must be a Warlock the way you can figure out those Sanborn maps. How do you get those colors in the maps you post? Even after going back to the Sanborn Maps for St. Francis where you gave me the year, dates and page I could find any 12c but it did help me and I found it on my copy of the maps. I guess they must all be the same but who knows. Are they still in that business? Do you know if there are Sanborn Maps for New York City and Passaic, New Jersey? My family came from Poland to NYC and NJ and then moved to Detroit. So, it would be interesting to see what the maps say about where they lived, worked and prayed. The Catholic Church they belonged to doesn't even exist anymore but the tenement they lived in in Manhattan is still there.

The way I find places in the Sanborn maps is to start with the volume map in the sheet #0s, also on this map is a map showing the locations of the other volumes {make a copy of this so you can figure out what volume you want to start with}. Another sheet 0 will be an index,good luck if what you're looking for is listed, but usually churches and large industries are . Another thing to look at is that the numbered sheets have the numbers of the adjacent sheets {or other volume} so you can readily trace a street onto another map sheet. If I'm doing some research that involves more than one location, I'll keep track of things by opening up a spreadsheet, also notating other places of possible future use.

The New York Public Library has open access to the Sanborn maps on its website. I haven't really looked at them, so I don't know how complete they are or what periods are covered.NYPL digital maps

[ghemmingson]

My g-g-grandfather Nicholas Steinert owned a bakery at Junction and Buchanan and paid for one of the bells in the St. Francis bell tower when it was built. Both my grandfather and grandmother Steinert, plus my mom and all my aunts and uncles and several cousins attended the St. Francis school. I was baptized there. The commerical building on the corner of Wesson and Buchanan was once a hardware store owned by the Pieknik family. They owned several neighborhood stores. I have the fondest memories of playing on the sidewalk and alley on Wesson in the 50s.