St. John, the Baptist, Roman Catholic Church

The following article appeared in the September, 1993, issue of HISTORICAL HAPPENINGS, the official newsletter of the Lawrenceville Historical Society. It was written by Jim Wudarczyk.

St. John, the Baptist, Roman Catholic Church was born as result of the Irish immigration of the 1870's. Bishop Tuigg consented to the creation of the new parish, thus dividing the Irish ethnic parishes of St. Patrick's, 17th Street, and St. Mary's 46th Street. The boundaries of the new parish were set at 28th and 39th Streets, the Allegheny River and Ridgeway Street.

It was under the direction of Father Andrew Gibbs, pastor of St. Mary's, that the lands necessary for the new parish were purchased and a committee established. This committee consisted Patrick McCabe, of Draying and Contruction Company, John McCarthy, Attorney; Owen McCusker, tavern keeper; James Neeson, millwright; Thomas McCaffrey, real estate agent; John C. O'Donnell, grocer, and afterwards postmaster of Pittsburgh.

Lands for the parish were purchased from the Denny family at 32nd Street and Liberty Avenue. The cornerstone of the church was dedicated by Bishop Tuigg on October 20, 1878. Dedication of the new church took place on June 8, 1879, with Reverend Charles Neeson serving as the church's first pastor. Cost of this red brick and stone trimmed building as $18,000. School facilities were on the second floor of this structure, while the church occupied the first floor.

Classes opened in August, 1880, with five Sisters of Charity serving as teachers. Since St. John's did not have a convent, these dedicated sisters commuted daily by train from Sacred Heart Convent in East Liberty. In September, 1881, convent facilities were obtained by the parish, when a house at 2943 Penn Avenue was purchased for the purpose. Some time prior to 1886, a small frame school was also built.

It was under the direction of Father Edward J. McKeever that the parish purchased property at 36th and Liberty Avenue, and in 1903 completed a new church. In 1907 contracts were awarded for a shcool and convent.

The church, designed by John Comes for the Beezer Brothers, is unique in that the broadly striped brick, stone, and terra Romanesque style. Other parish structures facing Liberty Avenue also illustrate this grand style.

Father Albert J. Wigley succeeded Reverend McKeever on January 3, 1924. His task was to construct a new rectory on the Liberty Avenue property.

In September, 1924, a high school for both boys and girls was opened at the parish. Although the girls' high school continued until the late 1960's, the boys' school was closed following the opening of Central Catholic High School in 1931.

The convent was vacant until the mid-1980's when it was converted into a half-way house for troubled juveniles.

With the closing of the church, the spiritual needs of the remaining parishioners are served by the newly formed Our Lady of the Angels parish. The new parish will be formed of a merger among St. John, the Baptist, St. Augustine, holy Family and St. Mary's (46th Street).

Editor's note: St. John's was closed October, 1993. It is now a micro brewery.