Holy Cross Lutheran Church - Chicago, IL - This Old Church on Waymarking.com

Holy Cross Lutheran Church was built in 1886 to serve the many German immigrants who lived in the Bridgeport neighborhood of Chicago. It was one of several German faith communities in the area, being the third German Lutheran church in the neighborhood alongside two Catholic parishes and a congregationalist church. It is still an active faith community well over one hundred years later although no longer specifically German.

One story tells of how Holy Cross was once caught up in the city's racial tensions:

"When the Douglas Hotel north of Dearborn Homes burned down in June 1961, eighty of its Black residents were evacuated by the Red Cross to Bridgeport’s Holy Cross Lutheran Church. Upon hearing the news, white residents soon began demanding that the Black fire victims be removed from Bridgeport. The pastor’s wife later recounted that they “threatened to break the windows in the church and screamed obscenities…they threatened to destroy the church if we didn’t get the Negroes out of the building.”"

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Date the Church was built, dedicated or cornerstone laid: 01/01/1886 Age of Church building determined by?: Cornerstone or plaque If Church holds a weekly worship service and "all are welcome", please give the day of the week: Sunday Street address of Church: 3116 South Racine Avenue Chicago, IL 60608 Primary website for Church or Historic Church Building: [Web Link] If denomination of Church is not part of the name, please provide it here: Not listed If Church is open to the public, please indicate hours: Not listed Indicate the time that the primary worship service is held. List only one: Not Listed Secondary Website for Church or Historic Church Building: Not listed

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