Above is a view south on Bathgate Avenue. Clicking on any photo will enlarge it.
The school is on the east side of Bathgate Avenue. The cornerstone is dated 1922. The church cornerstone is dated 1899.
See page 216 for the influx of Germans into Melrose, Morrisania, and Tremont, and the creation of the parish of St Joseph in Tremont in 1873. See page 218 for prints and photos. See page 292 for its quickly becoming a territorial parish. Page 392 shows St Joseph's parish on the list of coadjutor archbishop Corrigan's visitations in August, 1883. Page 222 refers to an Irish-American pastor at St. Joseph's in 1895. See page 412 for a photo of a Holy Name Communion Breakfast in 1938. The present church was built in 1902 on Bathgate Avenue, just north of East Tremont Avenue and a block west of Third Avenue.
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The address of the parish school was 1946 Bathgate Ave., across from the church. The school closed in 2019. For years, the Dominican Sisters of Sparkill staffed the school and lived on the top floor.
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The neighborhood bustles with residents, shoppers, and workers in many small enterprises. Quite a few smaller churches line the streets.
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In this 1969 photo of the Third Avenue El, one can see both the church and the school. The school has a white-painted wall facing east and a satellite dish for the archdiocesan television network. The church stone is afflicted with the grime from many Bronx furnaces. In fact, one cloud of soot can be seen in the distance.
I was not aware that St. Joseph church has closed there doors. It was the church I grew up with my family. I lived in Bathgate Avenue and walk to church every Sunday come rain,snow or shine. I no longer live in Bronx but often wonder what become of the church. It was with heavy heart to hear about the closing of the church. Great memories there I will cherish there. God follows me everywhere I go and so does this church.
ReplyDeleteI WAS VERY SURPRISE, WENT I WAS WALKING THROUGHOUT, BATHGATE AVE, AND I SAW MY CHURCH, BEEN DEMOLISH...THE CHURCH THAT I GAT MARRIED ON 9/21/1968.. I WAS VERY SAD. I HAVE MANY MOMORIES THERE. I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION, THAT SOMEDAY IT WAS GOING TO BE A LANDMARK.,MY CHURCH IS GONE.
ReplyDeleteGrew up in this church late 60' early 70's went to school across the street at st joseph's school.. Great memories..
ReplyDeleteMe too. Same years.
DeleteI also went to saint joseph church and school and I'm greatly sadden with losing the church and school
ReplyDeleteI am so sad to learn that the church Saint Joseph has been demolish I was baptized in this church in the year of 1959 At one years old I was looking at my birth certificate to see that I was baptized at Saint Josephs Church feel so sad but remember the church as a little girl God bless The priests and nuns that was there and the people that went to the church like my family and me
ReplyDeleteI I am saddened to find out that Saint Joseph church was demolish I was baptized in the church in 1959 so sad to see it go my mother and me will walk to the church every Sunday and pray a beautiful church so sad to see it go
ReplyDeleteI was also so sadden. Today I drove by St Joseph and realized that they demolished the church. It is the church where my mother's funeral mass was held Oct. 1977. I was in disbelief, such a beautiful structure.
DeleteChris D. I went to Saint Josephs's School in the early 60's till 1973 when I moved to NJ. The street had cobblestones at that time. I used to play handball right next to the red front door. We said the Lord's Prayer prayer every morning in the street facing the church. The whole school was out there. I remember buying those big soft pretzels at lunchtime for a nickle. They were the best.
ReplyDeleteSame here. Graduated 72
DeleteI was also devastated to see my Church gone. I was baptized, went to the school in second grade. Had my 1st Holy communion, and my Confirmation there. Went to the afterschool program. Played Bingo and numerous dances there. I lived on Washington Avenue and had since moved out around the eighties. I have a stone from the rubble and it now sits on the corner of my property in New Jersey. When I saw the Church was gone it brought tears to my eyes.
ReplyDelete@Chris D...OMG! I remember those pretzels! Also playing handball by the red door. Being a part of the youth center downstairs in the Church. Father Bannome, Father David. That brought back some serious memories. I grew up there in the 70's too. Was a great time of life. I thought it would be land marked as well. I feel guilty of not being there when the Church needed me. Sad.
ReplyDeleteI went to school there. In the 60s early 70s until they closed the school part for us. I had the Real Nuns my favorite Sister Ann Barbara and Ms Knapp. Boy oh boy Im old
ReplyDeleteOMG... St. JOSEPH is gone. I can't believe it. I too grew up on Bathgate and went to St Joseph's schooling the 70s until the6th grade when they closed the school and we were sent to Mt Carmel and Father Bannome had to go there and correct a lot of things. I remember Father Bannome, Sister Carole, Sis Norman, Mrs Mary Maher, Miss Fox in the front office. Wow... all gone. But, I am glad the school is back to being used as a school. It had fallen into disrepair for a long time. It's gone, but we have the best memories.
ReplyDelete65 to 72. Miss Fox! Dayum you took it back.
DeleteThis was the church my grandmother, father, aunts and uncles attended, as well as St. Joseph's School - and of course, when I stayed at her apartment, 1991 Bathgate Avenue, the church I went to also.
ReplyDeleteSo utterly sad that it was demolished, to be replaced by an ugly apartment building!
The interior, as well as the exterior, was so beautiful - it gives me an actual pain to know it too is gone.
Coco14
Mary Immaculate church in Bellport, Suffolk Co., NY, has purchased 12 of the stained glass windows from St. Josephs. We are in the process of having them restored and installed in our church with in a year, God willing. Jim F
ReplyDeleteThis is wonderful news! So sad that such a beautiful church was torn down - and for what? To create more tenements!
ReplyDeleteCoco