USA > Indiana > Lake County > East Chicago > East Chicago, A Historical Description (1947) > Part 4
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There are two other sports organizations, not commer- this point. The Isaac Walton, League has a local chapter which dates back to 1935. This organization is primarily Interested in conservation of natural resources so as to increase hunting and fishing but it has helped the Boy Scouts in many ways. The Indiana Harbor Boat Club, Incor- porated, founded in 1939, now has a membership of 125. A frame building, originally temporary office for a construc- tion firm working on the Cast Armour plant, was moved to Lees Park in 1943 to serve as headquarters for the club. This organization is promoting increasing the size of the park on the lake front by filling in the lake.
The municipality provides three types of recreational services: the parks, the department of recreation, and the libraries. The thirteen tax-supported parks and playgrounds contain approximately 146 acres which means one acre of play space for about 375 inhabitants. This would prove rather
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crowded if everyone tried to use the parks at the same time; but it is not far from the national average for cities of this size, which is 300 people per acre. In addition, there is a private playground at 140th, and Evergreen in the Sunnyside area, The parks vary in size from Tod Park in East Chicago, the largest with 47.5 acres, to Smith Park back of Columbus School in the New Addition, with 1.7 acres. Two, Smith and Marktown, are on school property while the playground at 143rd and Homerlee is on land leased from Edward Valves, Incorporated.
The facilities on the different sites differ greatly. Altho Tod Park has the MacArthur nine-hole public golf course, probably the best equipped park is Washington where facilities include;
1 greenhouse and arboretum outdoor zoo ( DISCONTINUED)
1 swimming pool and dressing rooms
2 baseball fields
2 soft ball fields
1 stadium, seating 3500, with locker rooms
4 concrete tennis courts
Altogether there are five baseball diamonds, nine soft ball diamonds, and eighteen tennis courts. Swimmers may use four swimming pools or the beach at Lees Park. Unfortunately, from a recreational point of view, most of the lake shore in East Chicago is occupied by industrial plants. Swings, teeters, and slides are furnished for smaller children. Several parks are equipped with wading- pools for children.
Wicker Park, located' about five miles south of East Chicago, is operated by North Township of which East Chicago is a part. It contains an eighteen-hole golf course with a fine club-house, tennis courts, a large swimming pool, and shaded picnic areas.
The Department of Recreation organizes leagues to com- pete in the various sports and furnishes supervision and
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such equipment as balls and bats. The summer-time outdo Kennedy, secretary. Other members were Mr. John R. Farovid, activities are conducted in the various parks and pla ur.George W. Lewis, Mrs. A. H. W. Johnson, and Mrs. W. grounds. School gymnasiums are used for winter spor Walton. The first librarian was Mr. L. B. Blanchard who was appointed in the fall of 1909 and served until January 5, except skating for which areas are flooded in various par of the city. Tod Park contains a lagoon which furnish ,010. The following librarians have served since 1910 :- skating for people in that neighborhood. At times t recreation department has conducted free shows in the pa Anne D Swezey 1910-1913 Mrs. Florence K: Byers, 1913-1922 Orlando C. Davis, 1923-1925 Frank H. Whitmore, 1925- band stands in the summer and in the school auditoriums the winter.
On September 16, 1909, the East Chicago Public Library the third of the public recreational services, was formal On March 1, 1910, the first library was opened in the established. However, its real origin does not begin wijcity hall. In the Indiana Harbor section a library was that year, for in 1908 a group of public spirited citizen opened the following week in quarters over the fire station. feeling a need for the educational and socializing influen Plans for the construction of library buildings were dis- such a project could furnish, formed a committee and start cussed December 6, 1910, and a committee began working on the movement for such an institution. Mrs. John D. Kenned this proposal. Andrew Carnegie offered $40,000 to defray at that time president of the Tuesday Reading Club, is cre construction costs and, after a committee of the board ited with beginning the movement. She appointed a committ selected sites for the buildings, Mr. Argyle E. Robinson of to solicit books. In early May of the following ye Chicago was selected to draw up the plans, Two buildings Mrs. Abe Ottenheimer suggested a tag day to be held for uwere constructed, one at the intersection of Baring and Chicago, Avenues to serve the western section of the city,
purpose of raising funds for the project. This idea w adopted and between two and three hundred dollars we the other on Grapevine Street (now Grand Boulevard) at 136th received. Mrs. John D. Kennedy and Mrs. W. R. Diamor Street, The Baring Avenue building was dedicated on Friday secured between five hundred and six hundred dollars on tevening, May 16, 1913, and the Indiana Harbor building on the following evening. On December 18, 1915, a branch library was opened at 912 Chicago Avenue in the Calumet district. Other branches were opened later at 3940 Deal Street known as the Sunnyside branch and the Marks branch serving the people in the section of the city known as Marktown.
same day from businessmen interested in aiding the movemen Until August of 1909 money was continuing to be donated a on August 3rd of that year a committee consisting Mrs. Kennedy, Mrs. Reese Williams, Mrs. Charles Fichte Mrs. A. H. W. Johnson, Mrs. William Meade, Mrs. Willi Pulling, and Mrs. Edward Jacob appeared before the Comm Council presenting a petition for a levy for library mai tenance. The Council by a unanimous vote authorized a le of one mill on the dollar. Thus began the library movemet in East Chicago which today is so much a part of t educational, recreational, and social life, of the community
The first library board consisted of Mr. J. G. Allen president, Dr. A. A. Ross, vice-president, and Mrs. John
The two main buildings have been substantially enlarged since the Carnegie gift to keep pace with the growth of the city's population and interests. The enlargement of the Indiana Harbor Library was completed in the autumn of 1931 through a bond issue of $60,000. This addition, besides adding a beautiful reading room, houses the office from which the entire library work of the city is directed, The
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Baring Avenue Library was enlarged in 1924 at a cost $15,000 and plans for further enlargement were made in 1 Chapter III of about thirty different nationality clubs and doubling. its original area. at a cost of $60,000. op urganizations. In addition to these there are several odges or orders which to some extent cut across nationality ind religious lines. Among these are the various Masonic
cost $33, 000 was raised by a bond issue. Mr. Karl D. Nor was appointed to draw up the plans and work was begun
1938. _ These additions have been made without conflict odges, Elks, Moose, Eagles, Odd Fellows, B'nai Brith, with the general architectural plans of the original bulnights of Columbus, and Knights of Pythias Some of these ings.
The two main buildings contain ample reading rooms adults on the main floors with children's quarters in basements. The Baring Avenue building also contains a we equipped room for small civic and educational meetings seating capacity for 60 persons. In the adult reading ro in each of the main libraries are seating facilities over a hundred readers.
In this brief history it is impossible to tell detail of the rapid growth in books, periodicals, and ot reading materials of the East Chicago Libraries and of steady development of sound library techniques and servio One may, by examining the annual reports in the Indithe Masonic order, like many other fraternal organizations, Harbor office, find voluminous evidence of this growth "Includes several: organizations. There are five lodges in- eluding the Eastern Star, a women's group, which meet in the detail." By September, 1910. the first annual report sho a total expenditure of $2,835.61 of which total $1,040gast Chicago building. Three organizations use the Harbor was spent for the purchase of books. The library Meusiding. The Masonic order is primarily fraternal.
total. of.1,986 volumes. The circulation in that first y Was 12,698. When the library opened, the number of bo
The Knights of Columbus is a fraternal order for was 739 with 675 more volumes being donated that first "members of the Roman Catholic church. The corresponding In a recent year the circulation for home use reachwoman's organization is the Daughters of Isabella, The Twin total of 334,000, the number of registered borrowers city Council of the Knights was organized in 1912. 13,723. Recently the total book collection had readlodge meets in a hall on Indianapolis Boulevard. The
75.000 fairly recent and serviceable books. . In that the community provided a total of $56,408.74 for the upl and support of its libraries.
Fre fraternal, existing primarily for fellowship, while thers provide members with insurance and other benefits.
The first of these organizations to be established was The East Chicago Masonic Lodge which started holding meetings at 4806 Olcott in 1893. When Dr. Schleiker built the building at 713 West Chicago Avenue, where the Moose low meet, ¿ the Masons moved into the hall. By 1912 this organization was able to erect the building at 911 West Chicago Avenue, In November, 1911, there were enough members of this organization living in the Harbor side of town to start a lodge of their own. A charter was granted The following May. First meetings were held in the Schrie- ber Hall. In 1930 the lodge bought the original Baptist church building at 3511 Fir Street where they still meet.
The Elks is an organization which is more than social since the dues pay for insurance and a hotel is operated for foimembers. The local Elks lodge was organized in 1907 and It would probably be impossible. to list all of held its meetings in the hall in the second floor of the social organizations in this city. Mantion was madeBuilding in which the city Water Department office is locat-
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Chapter VI
ed. The lodge moved from there to the hall now used by Knights of Pythias on the third floor of the bank build CHURCHES at the corner of Chicago and Indianapolis. The pres headquarters at Magoun and Chicago ; was completed occupiediin 1926/ The Elks had a junior organization, Antlers, for boys of 18. to 21 before World War II made active congregations. Included were: an organization impossible.
A survey of churches in East Chicago in' 1946 located 57
13 Roman Catholic 2 Jewish
4 Greek Catholic 2 Episcopal
1 Polish Independent
The lodges which have been described illustrate 29 Protestant 1 Rumanian Independent various types of: organizations and the services frater 4 Greek Orthodox orders perform. The I. O. O.F., or Odd Fellows, have There are also some Mohammedans in East Chicago but they go lodges, one of which has a building at 4728 Indianapolto Michigan City for church services.
which; the other lodge issnow using. The Eagles meet 3207 Guthrie. The Loyal Order of Moose operate a very w known home for the orphans of members at Moosehear including the Mohammedans, worship the same God, All are Illinois, west of Chicago. The B'nai Brith, a Jewoff-shoots, directly or indirectly, of the ancient Jewish fraternal order the local branch of which dates from 19 church. After the death of Jesus, Christian churches were meets at different times at the two East Chicago synagogyorganized in most, of the cities of the Roman Empire. and in Whiting.
Services were usually conducted in the speech of the inhabitants of a city -- Latin in western Europe, and other
"Very similar: to lodges are the ten veteran's organislanguages, usually Greek in Constantinople. In time Latin tions in the city. The oldest of these is American Legichanged to Spanish, French, Italian, and Rumanian. In Post 266 which was first organized in 1919 and reorganiz western Europe the priests continued to use Latin in divine 1n 1922. There are five Legion posts. There are two pos services, but in eastern Europe services were conducted in of Veterans of Foreign Wars and three AmVets groups.
the vernacular. . The form of the services also became first two organizations. were formed, after World War I different, In 1054 European Christians split into two major include individuals who saw service in either conflicts ingroups; one of which acknowledged the leadership of the Pope Legion posts have Women's Auxiliaries and sponsor drum a in Rome, the other of which acknowledged the leadership of bugle corps. . American Legion Posts, all over the natio the Patriarch in Constantinople. Those in western Europe finance baseball teams for boys . under seventeen. . The Eubecame known as Roman Catholics; those in eastern Europe, Chicago: teams, having won several state and region championships, have a very fine record in the nation championship contests which mark the climax of each season
It, probably should be mentioned that all of these,
as Greek Orthodox; and there were some in middle Europe who adhered to the Roman Pope but who continued to conduct services in the vernacular and in a form more like that of the Greek church, These latter are called Greek Catholics Finally there were a few congregations who remained inde- pendent of either group. Drawing its population from all over Europe, East Chicago has representatives of all four of these groups of churches.
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There are today in East Chicago approximately 18, 00 Roman Catholics. They represent many nationalities, ther being separate churches for Hungarians, Poles, Italians Mexicans, Lithuanians, Slovaks, Croatians, and Negroes St. Mary's and St. Patrick's are the only parishes which serve congregations which are primarily English-speaking.
The first congregation established by the Catholics of What was then the village of East Chicago, was St. Mary! which was founded by Rev. Henry H. Plaster, so long 1 charge of St. Joseph's Church of Hammond, who celebrate the first Mass in the old Tod Opera House. In 1889 he bought a site from the East Chicago, Company. Genera Torrence, who was so prominent in the founding and the up building of East Chicago, donated the first bell which had originally belonged to the pioneer public school. Rev. W B. Byrne was the first permanent pastor in charge. In 190 a school house was completed just north of the church, an by the fall of that year 170 pupils were in attendance. new school house was built in 1913 to house 370 pupils.
St. Stanislaus, from a very humble beginning, has grow into one of the largest parishes in the diocese of For Wayne. It was founded for Polish Catholics. The origina " parish church, of frame construction, was built by Father Kobylin ski in 1896 and was dedicated to St. Michael. The firs permanent pastor was Father John Kubacki who later buil a school and moved the church from Baring Avenue to it present site. At this time the name of the church wa changed to St, Stanislaus.
Rev. Thomas Mungovan, brother of the present Vica General, was selected by Bishop Aldering on May 24, 1902, t organize a parish in Indiana Harbor, although only eigh families were found as prospects. In 1903 Father Mungovi erected a combination church, school, and residence -- a two story frame building, the first St. Patrick's. He buil the present rectory in 1905. The present church, school
and parish hall was built in 1923. A new convent for the Sisters of the Holy Cross, who do the teaching, was built in 1925.
The Rev. John Kubacki began the organization of St. John Cantius' parish by minstering to Polish people living in Indiana Harbor during the years 1903 and 1004. The present large school was erected and the convent enlarged in 1928.
For a time those Hungarian and Slovak people who were the first of their nationality to locate at East Chicago were a part of one little parish organized by Father Benedict Rajcany, pastor of St. John's, Hammond. Like all other parishes in this area, that of Holy Trinity grew rapidly, and later two separate parishes were formed for the Slovak people. Father Rajcany erected the first Holy Trinity Church in the year 1906, and in December, 1907, the parish received its first pastor, Rev. Oscar Szilagyi, who was a Benedictine priest. The new school was built in 1928, with the Daughters of Divine Charity in charge. In 1937 Father Sipos purchased a large building, situated one block from the church, which has been converted into a recreation hall, and which is a source' of considerable revenue for the
The parish for the Lithuanian people of Indians Harbor, St. Francis, was organized in 1913 by the Rev. J. Jukstys. Besides doing good spiritual work, Rev. Casimir Bickauskas, the present pastor, has to his credit the erection of the rectory in 1925, the school and convent in 1927, and the parish hall in 1929. The school is in charge of the Sisters of Bt. Casimir.
The first pastor of the Assumption Parish is the priest now in charge, the Rev. Clement M. Mlinarovich, He wes appointed pastor in 1915. He erected the first church in 1917 And the present rectory in 1810. In 1926 Father
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Mlinarovich built a combination church and school of bri and brought the School Sisters of St. Francis to teach ti children. In the same year he erected a convent for the Recently Father Miinarovich was made a Monseignor.
The Slovaks in the East Chicago side of town he 'attended Assumption parish, Indiana Harbor, for many years without having a church of their own, but in the spring 1940 :Father Mlinarovich received permission to erect church for them on valuable property secured a few year previously. This church, which was named Sacred Heart, w used for the first time on December 15, 1940, and was dedi cated: by Bishop Noll on May 11, 1941.
The Croatian people of East Chicago were organized int a separate parish, Holy Trinity, in 1916, and had as the! first: pastor the Rev. Joseph Judnic who built a church ar school in 1917 and a convent in 1920 for the Sisters Adorer of the Precious Blood, who have charge of the school. . Th present rectory was built in 1925
'St. Joseph's Parish' for the Polish people' was formed 1 1916 and had as its first pastor the Rev. Joseph Zielenski During his: pastorate, which lasted until February, 1929, erected: a' frame : church, ! rectory, and convent. These strud . tures : were built in 1917 and 1918. The present school wa 'built' during the pastorate of Rev. John Biernacki.
The first Mexicans came to Indiana Harbor in 1920 : am : formed: the nucleus of a colony and also of a future parish Their first pastor was Father Octave Zavatta, a member of the Italian congregation. of the Precious Blood. He ha lived: for some time: in Mexico' and learned the language well 'For' some: time Father Zavatta said Mass in a store building for the Italians and Mexicans. The first : church for : the Mexican people, Our Lady of Guadalupe, was dedicated: on: the :30 th:of January, 1927,on Pennsylvania Avenue. The Cate (chists: established themselves on; Block: Avenue: immediately; te
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the rear of that church, and in 1931 a rectory was purchase by Bishop Noll on Pennsylvania Avenue for the pastor, who that time, was the Rev. Joss. H. Lara, In 1937 the Mexic parish was turned over to the Fathers of the Sacred Heart The first priest of this community to serve the Mexicans | the Rev. Father d' Neill, who came in October, 1937. ( church on Pennsylvania Avenue was partially destroyed fire: on September 2, 1939. The cornerstone of a new chur on Deodar Street was laid on the feast of Our Lady Guadalupe, December 12, 1939, and the edifice, a "ve beautiful church, was dedicated amid splendor on September 15, 1940, by Bishop Noll.
In 1933 acommitteeroffItalians consisting of L Bonaventura, Louis Ferrini, and others importuned the Bish to|allow them to build a church of their own, with whi would ;beconnected a recreational center. They agreed raise the money needed for the purchase of a site befo starting. the building. Since at that time many skill laborers were out of work, the Italians among these agre to donate their services in the erection of the structur Bishop Noll assigned the Rev. Michael A. Campagna to wo withthem. During the construction Father Campagna cel brated Mass at William Huber's Funeral Chapel on Chich Avenue. In 1995 the Italians completed a handsome . churd and a recreational center. In the year 1936 the pari I purchased a residence next door to the rectory as a home the Catechists ! who, i from the time . the parish' was ' starte have been instructing the children on' week days and supe vising their recreation. In September of 1945 a school started. on the recreational premises with the Sisters of Sacred Heart in. charge.
The Missionary Catechists, who settled. at Indi Harbor! in 1987 to work with the Mexicans, did a great de jef social service and charity work among the colored people [@specially, during the first years of the depression. .... (benevolence lød a number, of: the colored: to become interes
in the Catholic religion and many converts were the result, Since most of them lived close to the Mexican church, they attended. Mass there, When the Mexican church was partly destroyed by fire, the Bishop provided funds with which to restore it for the colored Catholics of the Harbor. It was used for the first time after rebuilding for midnight Mass on Christmas, 1940, and was dedicated on May 11, 1941. Since the new Mexican church bears the original name, it was necessary to give the restored church a new name, St. Jude, which was the choice of the members of the parish
The first of the Greek Catholic parishes to be organ- ized in East Chicago was St. Nicholas which came into existence in 1913 when Rev. Aurel Bungardean was assigned as resident pastor to give spiritual attention to the Rumanians. He served until 1921, building the church in 1913 and the pastor's residence in 1917. A second church, St. Demetrius, was built for the Indiana Harbor Rumanians in 1915, the one pastor serving both parishes until May, 1943, when Rev. Anthony Dunca, then pastor of both churches, began serving only St. Demetrius while Rev. George E. Muresan, a native East Chicagoan, was assigned to St. Nicholas. At the latter church, as at so many churches serving people of foreign ancestry, divine services are conducted in two languages, a Mass: at 8:00 o'clock on Sundays for English-speaking parishionery and one at 10:00 for Rumanian-speaking people.
The two other East Chicago Greek Catholic churches serve Carpatho Russians or Ruthenians. The Awdiana Harbor ·parish, ' the Holy Ghost, was organized; in 1914. Three years ilater : a second. Holy Ghost church was started for East Chicago Carpatho-Russians: 'In 1921 this'parish split, one group organizing a new church, St. Basil's, while the second group stayed at the original location on Olcott Avenue but changed to the Greek Orthodox form of worship.
The first of the Greek Orthodox congregations in East Chicago was organized by Indiana Harbor Rumanians in 1908
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and named St. George. The second Greek Orthodox church, Serbian Orthodox Church of St. George, also in the Harbor, [was founded in 1912 .The origin of the third is |briefly told;in the previous paragraph. The fourth Greek Orthodox parish had its origin when a group of men of Greek extrac- tion decided to leave St. Constantine's in Gary and start a (church of their own. They first rented a building at 3801 Euclid Avenue. The women's society, Phelepechephti Kos, raised money to purchase the site where the present church is located. The building was begun in 1937. Other Greek organizations, notably the Bachelor's Club, donated funds to finance the building
There are four congregations whose histories relate them to the preceding groups Two of these are the Episco- pal churches, St. Alban the Martyr in Indiana Harbor and Church of the Good Shepherd in East Chicago. The Episcopal church is. the American branch of the Church of England or Anglican Church which was organized in England when Henry VIII | caused the English: church to renounce the authority of the Pope. Masses are now said in English instead of Latin St. Alban's was organized in 1900. This church all .but ceased functioning during the depression but the parish was reopened in June, 1945, by Father Leo Patterson Dr. . Robert Hamilton has given money for the erection of a recreation center in memory of his son, Thomas, who was killed during the occupation of Manila
The Independent Rumanian Orthodox Three Saints parish was' formed . on October 6, 1924, They affiliated with: the Gary Orthodox church and attended religious services there until|a church was built, largely by the labor of members, on Elm Street in 1941. This congregation is identified with one of those groups mentioned in a previous paragraph which remained independent of both the Roman Pope and Greek Patriarch.
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