St. Florian Church, Hamtramck
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| St. Florian Historic District | |
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| (U.S. Registered Historic District) | |
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| Location: | Hamtramck, Michigan |
| Architect: | Ralph Adams Cram |
| Architectural style(s): | Late Gothic Revival, Bungalow/Craftsman |
| Added to NRHP: | September 13, 1984 |
| NRHP Reference#: | 84001865[1] |
| Governing body: | Private |
St. Florian Church is a Roman Catholic Church at 2626 Poland Street in Hamtramck, Michigan. The church was designed by Ralph Adams Cram.
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[edit] The parish
St. Florian's parish is predominantly Polish. Immigrants from Poland who settled in Hamtramck after Dodge opened an automobile factory in 1910 were responsible for the parish's growth.
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit recognized the need for a church to serve Polish residents who had settled in Detroit's northern environs and established St. Florian parish in 1907. Services were initially held in a storefront.
Ground was broken for a church building in March 1908. The cornerstone for the first church was laid on July 12, 1908. The first church was dedicated on January 10, 1909.
As the church grew, parishioners amassed $500,000 (in pre-Depression funds) to build a larger sanctuary.
[edit] The present church
Cram, who is best known for popularizing Gothic architecture in the United States, was chosen to design the building. He created a magnificent modified English Gothic structure that won the American Architect Award in 1929.
Construction on the present edifice began in January 1926. The church was consecrated on October 21, 1928. Nearly 5,000 people turned out for the dedication of the building.
The church's spire rises nearly 200 feet above the street level and was designed to stand in stark contrast to the smokestacks of Hamtramck's industrial environment.
Cram used modern construction techniques that included building on a steel frame and using bricks on the exterior.
The structure is dominated by an ornate stained glass rose window. In each stained glass window flanking the nave, the design incorporates images that depict a familiar narrative story. One window includes the figure of Nicolaus Copernicus, the astronomer who challenged the Catholic Church's traditional view that the earth is the center of the universe.
[edit] Noteworthy events
In 1969 the bishop of Cracow, Poland — Karol Cardinal Wojtyla, who later became Pope John Paul II — celebrated Mass at St. Florian.
The church also served as a backdrop for some scenes in the movie Polish Wedding.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ National Register Information System. National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service (2007-01-23).
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