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Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 25, 2011 04:53PM
The read count on this thread has shot up over 1000 views in a week, I am sure it is linked somewhere. Could one the visitors tell me what site this thread is linked on? Just curious.
I will be adding some neat additions to this thread in a week or so. I have a tour scheduled to visit the interior of a VERY neat building in North Lawndale. Stay tuned!
I will be adding some neat additions to this thread in a week or so. I have a tour scheduled to visit the interior of a VERY neat building in North Lawndale. Stay tuned!
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 01:36PM
More Bohemian North Lawndale.......
I just picked up this picture the other day at a Chicago antique store. These are the officers of the Lawndale Wholesale Grocery Company which was located at 4011 W. Ogden in this building near where Ogden, Cermak, & Pulaski intersect.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=4011+w+ogden&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.572465,134.912109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=4011+W+Ogden+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&layer=c&cbll=41.850844,-87.725515&panoid=lI4c6L6UuVvgqBLOWPcyPg&cbp=12,123.06,,0,-12.72&ll=41.850844,-87.725515&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&iwloc=A
This company acted as a distributor of groceries to the hundreds of independent mom & pop Bohemian grocers that served Czech Chicago and its vicinity.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2011 05:14PM by Berwyn Frank.
I just picked up this picture the other day at a Chicago antique store. These are the officers of the Lawndale Wholesale Grocery Company which was located at 4011 W. Ogden in this building near where Ogden, Cermak, & Pulaski intersect.
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=4011+w+ogden&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.572465,134.912109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=4011+W+Ogden+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&layer=c&cbll=41.850844,-87.725515&panoid=lI4c6L6UuVvgqBLOWPcyPg&cbp=12,123.06,,0,-12.72&ll=41.850844,-87.725515&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&iwloc=A
This company acted as a distributor of groceries to the hundreds of independent mom & pop Bohemian grocers that served Czech Chicago and its vicinity.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2011 05:14PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
daveg
(---.lightspeed.joltil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 04:05PM
Frank - great stuff !! (Again)
Gazing into my crystal ball I see another Arcadia in your future. ;-)
Gazing into my crystal ball I see another Arcadia in your future. ;-)
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 05:34PM
Dave, I would like to do an Arcadia book on North Lawndale but I don't think they would go for it. There needs to be a large enough buying audience for the area written about and I don't think it exists in North Lawndale.
On another note, I am amazed at the amount of views this thread has gotten recently. Since March 8th this thread has gotten over 4,000 views and is now the most viewed thread ever on Forgotten Chicago's discussion forum. It will most likely break 10,000 views by Monday, heck at this rate maybe even before the end of today.
On another note, I am amazed at the amount of views this thread has gotten recently. Since March 8th this thread has gotten over 4,000 views and is now the most viewed thread ever on Forgotten Chicago's discussion forum. It will most likely break 10,000 views by Monday, heck at this rate maybe even before the end of today.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
daveg
(---.lightspeed.joltil.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 07:06PM
I think the twitter feed helps with getting the word out when new posts are made in this thread. Plus is a darn interesting topic.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2011 11:41PM by daveg.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2011 11:41PM by daveg.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
222psm
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 11:32PM
It was at 10,049 views at 8:30 CDST. congrats to Berwyn Frank on an excellent thread, MORE PLEASE! LOL!
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
222psm
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 26, 2011 11:35PM
A book on the rise and fall of North Lawndale would be awesome!
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 03:35PM
222psm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A book on the rise and fall of North Lawndale
> would be awesome!
Maybe I will talk to Arcadia and see what they think.
By the way, was I wrong! In my post above which I made almost 24 hours ago I said maybe we would crack 10,000 views in this thread by the end of this weekend. Well we are at 11,000 views, of which almost 1400 of have been in the past 22 hours! I am still curious what site or blog linked this thread. Either way, I am glad that there is more traffic coming to Forgotten Chicago. As has been said here many times this is a GREAT site with good knowledgeable people. I love to visit and contribute here and have learned a ton!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2011 03:37PM by Berwyn Frank.
-------------------------------------------------------
> A book on the rise and fall of North Lawndale
> would be awesome!
Maybe I will talk to Arcadia and see what they think.
By the way, was I wrong! In my post above which I made almost 24 hours ago I said maybe we would crack 10,000 views in this thread by the end of this weekend. Well we are at 11,000 views, of which almost 1400 of have been in the past 22 hours! I am still curious what site or blog linked this thread. Either way, I am glad that there is more traffic coming to Forgotten Chicago. As has been said here many times this is a GREAT site with good knowledgeable people. I love to visit and contribute here and have learned a ton!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2011 03:37PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
nancybc
(---.va.shawcable.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 07:35PM
Frank,
I'm glad you are giving a book a second thought. I think your reading audience would be much bigger. Lawndale is the story of a certain neighborhood and it's people over a long span of time. Anyone who is interested in Chicago, the middle European migration to the Midwest, the human stories that are humorous, touching and show the resilience of people during good and hard times would be interested.
Heck, this thread should give you all the encouragement you need-and you are the guy to do it.
Big Hugs and thanks!
Nancy
P.S. When your book is published and you are famous, Can I head the fan club and get a discount on the book?-lol
I'm glad you are giving a book a second thought. I think your reading audience would be much bigger. Lawndale is the story of a certain neighborhood and it's people over a long span of time. Anyone who is interested in Chicago, the middle European migration to the Midwest, the human stories that are humorous, touching and show the resilience of people during good and hard times would be interested.
Heck, this thread should give you all the encouragement you need-and you are the guy to do it.
Big Hugs and thanks!
Nancy
P.S. When your book is published and you are famous, Can I head the fan club and get a discount on the book?-lol
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 08:02PM
Nancy, thanks for the kind words. I will seriously think about doing a book on North Lawndale. There is A LOT of history to this neighborhood. Some might notice that I keep talking about the Bohemian/Czech aspect of the neighborhood. I have been doing this because just about everything I read about the area focuses on the time when the neighborhood was mostly Jewish. That was a great time for North Lawndale. A lot was built and the population was almost three times what it is now. I just wanted to cover a time that is not talked about much. What really should not be left out is the current residents and African American history of North Lawndale which goes back almost 60 years.
Nancy, I don't know if you know but I did a book on South Lawndale which is now known as Little Village. A book on North Lawndale might be a neat partner to that book.
http://www.amazon.com/Chicagos-Little-Village-Lawndale-Crawford-America/dp/0738577375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301262703&sr=8-1
Nancy, I don't know if you know but I did a book on South Lawndale which is now known as Little Village. A book on North Lawndale might be a neat partner to that book.
http://www.amazon.com/Chicagos-Little-Village-Lawndale-Crawford-America/dp/0738577375/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1301262703&sr=8-1
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
nancybc
(---.va.shawcable.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 08:12PM
It just gets better!
The people, history, architecture- heck, sounds like a mini-series to me!
Hugs,
Nancy
The people, history, architecture- heck, sounds like a mini-series to me!
Hugs,
Nancy
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 08:19PM
Here are a couple more vintage images of North Lawndale for now. I will post much more next week after a tour I am doing of a neat old building there.
This is a view circa 1909 view of Ridgeway N. of 19th St. Unfortunately you will see in the modern link that almost everything is gone now.
(double click to enlarge)
[URL=http://imgur.com/QgGKm]
[/URL]
[url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1900+s+ridgeway&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.572465,134.912109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1900+S+Ridgeway+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&ll=41.854875,-87.71876&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.854976,-87.718762&panoid=wBdZfjWb67nHNkI1I49cfA&cbp=12,349.88,,0,-6.86]Modern View of 19th & Ridgeway[/url]
Here is circa 1909 view of George Howland School which still stands on 16th & Spaulding.
[URL=http://imgur.com/AAMFJ]
[/URL]
[url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1600+s+spaulding&aq=&sll=41.854979,-87.71876&sspn=0.007352,0.016469&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1600+S+Spaulding+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&ll=41.859062,-87.70787&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.859064,-87.707708&panoid=VXpCOYR7yg37BIrdNxb4qw&cbp=12,224.32,,0,-5.57]Modern View of George Howland School[/url]
This is a view circa 1909 view of Ridgeway N. of 19th St. Unfortunately you will see in the modern link that almost everything is gone now.
(double click to enlarge)
[URL=http://imgur.com/QgGKm]
[url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1900+s+ridgeway&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=62.572465,134.912109&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1900+S+Ridgeway+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&ll=41.854875,-87.71876&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.854976,-87.718762&panoid=wBdZfjWb67nHNkI1I49cfA&cbp=12,349.88,,0,-6.86]Modern View of 19th & Ridgeway[/url]
Here is circa 1909 view of George Howland School which still stands on 16th & Spaulding.
[URL=http://imgur.com/AAMFJ]
[url=http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=1600+s+spaulding&aq=&sll=41.854979,-87.71876&sspn=0.007352,0.016469&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=1600+S+Spaulding+Ave,+Chicago,+Cook,+Illinois+60623&ll=41.859062,-87.70787&spn=0,0.016469&z=17&layer=c&cbll=41.859064,-87.707708&panoid=VXpCOYR7yg37BIrdNxb4qw&cbp=12,224.32,,0,-5.57]Modern View of George Howland School[/url]
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
abingdon
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 27, 2011 09:02PM
Great thread, BerwynFrank. When I lived in Berwyn for a few years, I had a hankering for some Lou Malnatis pizza, and at the time the closest one was in Lawndale so I took a ride. Apparently it was a joint venture between Lou Malnatis and a community organization to help provide jobs and provide dining to the neighborhood. However, I didn't know anything about Lawndale at the time and was horrified driving through. It was just about as scared as I had ever felt in the city. It's interesting to read this thread and learn more about the rich heritage of the area.
Out of curiosity, I looked up 1334 S. Karlov and it was built in 1894.
222psm - it looks like you are in Baton Rouge like me? Perhaps another native Chicagoan who loves reading FC because it helps me reminisce about growing up Chicago...
Out of curiosity, I looked up 1334 S. Karlov and it was built in 1894.
222psm - it looks like you are in Baton Rouge like me? Perhaps another native Chicagoan who loves reading FC because it helps me reminisce about growing up Chicago...
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
abingdon
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 28, 2011 11:39AM
I ran across this on Curbed this morning - thought it was applicable. The home is on Avers.
[url=http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2011/03/24/north-lawndales-priciest-listing-not-looking-its-best.php]North Lawdale's Priciest Listing[/url]
[url=http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2011/03/24/north-lawndales-priciest-listing-not-looking-its-best.php]North Lawdale's Priciest Listing[/url]
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
222psm
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 28, 2011 12:52PM
abingdon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great thread, BerwynFrank. When I lived in Berwyn
> for a few years, I had a hankering for some Lou
> Malnatis pizza, and at the time the closest one
> was in Lawndale so I took a ride. Apparently it
> was a joint venture between Lou Malnatis and a
> community organization to help provide jobs and
> provide dining to the neighborhood. However, I
> didn't know anything about Lawndale at the time
> and was horrified driving through. It was just
> about as scared as I had ever felt in the city.
> It's interesting to read this thread and learn
> more about the rich heritage of the area.
>
> Out of curiosity, I looked up 1334 S. Karlov and
> it was built in 1894.
>
> 222psm - it looks like you are in Baton Rouge like
> me? Perhaps another native Chicagoan who loves
> reading FC because it helps me reminisce about
> growing up Chicago...
WOW! It's a small world! Yes, I live in Livingston Parish (we call them Parish instead of County), but work in Baton Rouge. But, you guessed right, a Chicagoan reminiscing and missing my home town!
-------------------------------------------------------
> Great thread, BerwynFrank. When I lived in Berwyn
> for a few years, I had a hankering for some Lou
> Malnatis pizza, and at the time the closest one
> was in Lawndale so I took a ride. Apparently it
> was a joint venture between Lou Malnatis and a
> community organization to help provide jobs and
> provide dining to the neighborhood. However, I
> didn't know anything about Lawndale at the time
> and was horrified driving through. It was just
> about as scared as I had ever felt in the city.
> It's interesting to read this thread and learn
> more about the rich heritage of the area.
>
> Out of curiosity, I looked up 1334 S. Karlov and
> it was built in 1894.
>
> 222psm - it looks like you are in Baton Rouge like
> me? Perhaps another native Chicagoan who loves
> reading FC because it helps me reminisce about
> growing up Chicago...
WOW! It's a small world! Yes, I live in Livingston Parish (we call them Parish instead of County), but work in Baton Rouge. But, you guessed right, a Chicagoan reminiscing and missing my home town!
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
222psm
(---.br.br.cox.net)
Date: March 28, 2011 01:19PM
That's a nice looking gray stone, but I seriously do not think they will get anywhere near 498,000 for it in that hood and with this economy.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
daveg
(130.36.62.---)
Date: March 28, 2011 02:04PM
On page 2 of this thread, there are pictures of several homes on the 1900 south block of Avers, including the one up for sale a few notes north of here.
Wonder why that block is so much different than others in North Lawndale?
Wonder why that block is so much different than others in North Lawndale?
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: March 28, 2011 02:29PM
daveg Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On page 2 of this thread, there are pictures of
> several homes on the 1900 south block of Avers,
> including the one up for sale a few notes north of
> here.
>
> Wonder why that block is so much different than
> others in North Lawndale?
For a few reasons I would imagine. First off those five houses are historic landmarks designated by the City of Chicago. Second, they are very well taken care of, especially the one at 2102 which is owned by former state rep Art Turner. That brings me to the third. When I was taking those pictures a few different people came up to me and asked "why are you taking pictures of Art Turner's house?" I responded that I was a Chicago historian and would maybe do a book on the area. All were very nice after that and wanted to know more. I think if you have an anchor on a block, especially if they are a prestigious well respected member of the community, it does wonders for the area. People are obviously proud that Mr. Turner is a home grown success. They also have a block club on that block which is probably very serious about keeping their little piece of the neighborhood as nice and respectable as possible. It's kind of like the opposite of the broken window theory. When people see that there are at least a few people that make it their mission to keep their houses looking nice, it sort of becomes contagious. There was almost NO garbage on that block. Some of the blocks in North Lawndale look like garbage dumps with all of the discarded garbage in the streets and lots. Avers north of Ogden is well kept because there are standards. Sometimes that's all it takes to get people to care.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2011 02:31PM by Berwyn Frank.
-------------------------------------------------------
> On page 2 of this thread, there are pictures of
> several homes on the 1900 south block of Avers,
> including the one up for sale a few notes north of
> here.
>
> Wonder why that block is so much different than
> others in North Lawndale?
For a few reasons I would imagine. First off those five houses are historic landmarks designated by the City of Chicago. Second, they are very well taken care of, especially the one at 2102 which is owned by former state rep Art Turner. That brings me to the third. When I was taking those pictures a few different people came up to me and asked "why are you taking pictures of Art Turner's house?" I responded that I was a Chicago historian and would maybe do a book on the area. All were very nice after that and wanted to know more. I think if you have an anchor on a block, especially if they are a prestigious well respected member of the community, it does wonders for the area. People are obviously proud that Mr. Turner is a home grown success. They also have a block club on that block which is probably very serious about keeping their little piece of the neighborhood as nice and respectable as possible. It's kind of like the opposite of the broken window theory. When people see that there are at least a few people that make it their mission to keep their houses looking nice, it sort of becomes contagious. There was almost NO garbage on that block. Some of the blocks in North Lawndale look like garbage dumps with all of the discarded garbage in the streets and lots. Avers north of Ogden is well kept because there are standards. Sometimes that's all it takes to get people to care.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2011 02:31PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 03, 2011 04:44PM
I have much more to add on North Lawndale but I need to wait a bit for some of it......neat story coming soon!
Here is a VERY cool old building that survives from North Lawndale's Bohemian past. This building at 4356 W. Cermak Rd. was built circa 1917 and was once Robert Babka Saloon. Robert Babka may have been related to Frank Babka who also had a buffet & saloon a few blocks away on 21st & Pulaski around 1910.
Note remnants of the awning are still on the pole! The other poles are still above where the windows have been bricked in.
Original stained glass windows.
Awesome mosaic entryway immortalizing the Babka name.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2011 04:46PM by Berwyn Frank.
Here is a VERY cool old building that survives from North Lawndale's Bohemian past. This building at 4356 W. Cermak Rd. was built circa 1917 and was once Robert Babka Saloon. Robert Babka may have been related to Frank Babka who also had a buffet & saloon a few blocks away on 21st & Pulaski around 1910.
Note remnants of the awning are still on the pole! The other poles are still above where the windows have been bricked in.
Original stained glass windows.
Awesome mosaic entryway immortalizing the Babka name.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2011 04:46PM by Berwyn Frank.
Re: North Lawndale
Posted by:
Berwyn Frank
(---.lightspeed.cicril.sbcglobal.net)
Date: April 07, 2011 11:09PM
So I have been wanting to tell this amazing North Lawndale story so here it is.......
In the North Lawndale community there is a very significant Bohemian/Czech building that is located at 4236 W. Cermak Rd. in the "K-town" section of that neighborhood. I actually included it in my book about South Lawndale/Little Village because of the buildings importance to that neighborhood and that it's located just across the street from the neighborhoods northern border. Here is a photo of the John Hus Memorial Building circa 1924 that I included in my book as well as the caption I wrote.
Jan Hus (1369-1415), or John Huss as it is said in America, was a Czech Catholic Priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at the Charles University in Prague. Hus was burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church in 1415 because of his "heretical views" on the theological understanding of the Christian church. In 1915, 500 years after the martyrs death, the John Hus Memorial Building was erected in his honor at 4236 West Twenty-second Street to be used for various Czech cultural organizations. Money was raised in Czech communities all over the United States and Canada to cover construction costs. There was great celebration in Lawndale-Crawford when the corner stone was laid on October 17th, 1915. Besides housing many Czech organizations, there was a Czech Freethinkers school that operated out of the building. This magnificent structure which stood as a testament to the far reaching influence of the Czechoslovak people of America, still stands today operating as the Greater St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Here is the building today.
Well, because of this very thread on Forgotten Chicago, I was contacted by Mr. Charles Leeks who heads the North Lawndale office of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. Mr. Leeks saw my book and eventually found this thread so he was kind enough to invite me to the signing ceremony of "K-town's" listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately I was not able to attend, but he extended an invitation to me at a later date to come and tour the John Hus Memorial building. After a couple of months I was finally able to take that tour.
This past Saturday I visited the church and was graciously received by the churches pastor Reverend Cynthia Johnson and her wonderful board of directors. One of the board members, Brother Harold who has been a member of the church since 1968, was kind enough to give me a tour of the building and all of the rooms including the original meeting hall which is now used as the churches chapel. Greater St. Paul A.M.E. church acquired the building from the Czechs in 1963 and has done a magnificent job keeping with the buildings historic character. Here are some interior shots of the building.
How absolutely amazing is this? A remnant from the Bohemian days of the building.
Greater St. Paul A.M.E. circa 1979
In the North Lawndale community there is a very significant Bohemian/Czech building that is located at 4236 W. Cermak Rd. in the "K-town" section of that neighborhood. I actually included it in my book about South Lawndale/Little Village because of the buildings importance to that neighborhood and that it's located just across the street from the neighborhoods northern border. Here is a photo of the John Hus Memorial Building circa 1924 that I included in my book as well as the caption I wrote.
Jan Hus (1369-1415), or John Huss as it is said in America, was a Czech Catholic Priest, philosopher, reformer, and master at the Charles University in Prague. Hus was burned at the stake by the Roman Catholic Church in 1415 because of his "heretical views" on the theological understanding of the Christian church. In 1915, 500 years after the martyrs death, the John Hus Memorial Building was erected in his honor at 4236 West Twenty-second Street to be used for various Czech cultural organizations. Money was raised in Czech communities all over the United States and Canada to cover construction costs. There was great celebration in Lawndale-Crawford when the corner stone was laid on October 17th, 1915. Besides housing many Czech organizations, there was a Czech Freethinkers school that operated out of the building. This magnificent structure which stood as a testament to the far reaching influence of the Czechoslovak people of America, still stands today operating as the Greater St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Here is the building today.
Well, because of this very thread on Forgotten Chicago, I was contacted by Mr. Charles Leeks who heads the North Lawndale office of Neighborhood Housing Services of Chicago. Mr. Leeks saw my book and eventually found this thread so he was kind enough to invite me to the signing ceremony of "K-town's" listing on the National Register of Historic Places. Unfortunately I was not able to attend, but he extended an invitation to me at a later date to come and tour the John Hus Memorial building. After a couple of months I was finally able to take that tour.
This past Saturday I visited the church and was graciously received by the churches pastor Reverend Cynthia Johnson and her wonderful board of directors. One of the board members, Brother Harold who has been a member of the church since 1968, was kind enough to give me a tour of the building and all of the rooms including the original meeting hall which is now used as the churches chapel. Greater St. Paul A.M.E. church acquired the building from the Czechs in 1963 and has done a magnificent job keeping with the buildings historic character. Here are some interior shots of the building.
How absolutely amazing is this? A remnant from the Bohemian days of the building.
Greater St. Paul A.M.E. circa 1979
