Hazelwood is traditionally a working class neighborhood, with mostly Hungarian settlers. There were huge steel mills in the riverfront, that were turned off in the 1980s and eventually demolished. The neighborhood now is mostly settled by lower income families and elderly.
St Stephen catholic church was erected in Sept 15, 1902, followed by a catholic elementary school that is still active today.
Address:
5115 Second Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15207
from the Parish website: (
visit link)
When Saint Michael's Ecclesiastical Seminary was transferred to Glenwood, on the eastern Bank of the Monongahela River, about five miles from the mouth, in September, 1857, a chapel was opened for the accommodation of the Catholics living in the neighborhood.
A considerable congregation was soon formed, consisting principally of laborers from the Frankstown furnaces and miners from the opposite side of the river at Six Mile Ferry. One of the priests of the Seminary was pastor.
The Reverend Stephen Wall, president of the Seminary, purchased a large lot at Grove Station, more than half a mile below the seminary, in February 1867 as a site for the Church. Work was begun on the new church in the summer of 1870 and the cornerstone was laid by Bishop Michael Dominic on the 13th of November.
About the year 1866, a lot was purchased in Frankstown about two miles below the Seminary where the greater part of the congregation resided. A school house was built on this property and was presided over by a lay teacher. The circumstances of the parish forced it to close in the summer of 1876.
After Reverend Daniel Devlin became pastor, a school and convent was built. The school was conducted by the Sisters of Charity. The parish continued to grow in number of families, and this fact meant a new Church for St. Stephen's. On September 15, 1902, the cornerstone was laid. In 1902, Father Devlin purchased the residence of the late Simon Johnston as a convent for the Sisters of Charity who teach in the school. In 1910, a new school was erected.
A serious mishap befell the Parish on November 5, 1924, when the Church was burned. The entire interior was gutted. One year after the fire, December 20, 1925, a new and enlarged Saint Stephen's was re-dedicated.
Father Devlin labored long and earnestly among his parishioners. We saw him celebrating his sixtieth anniversary to the priesthood on June 7, 1933. After this long tenure of office, Father Devlin was called to his eternal reward in 1935. His death was mourned by Catholics and non-Catholics alike.
The Reverend Denis N. Murphy was installed as pastor in July, 1936.