churches (buildings)
St. James' Church was the third oldest Catholic church in Newark, and the first parish to be established in a Diocese of Newark. It was also holding the first parochial school in the area, founded in 1854. This church was part of a complex that included a grammar school, a high school, and a hospital (established in 1900), occupying an entire block bounded by Lafayette, Madison, Jefferson and Elm Streets. St James' Church was built on land purchased by pastor of St. Patrick's - Father Louis Senez. Designed by Patrick C. Keely in Gothic style, St. James served the Irish community of Ironbound. This single brick building only 40 by 80 ft. dominated the skyline of this district with a 250 feet bell tower, and was second only to the Sacred Heart Cathedral, in terms of its spire height. The front facade was constructed with brownstone and composed in a tripartite configuration with a gabled middle bay sided by a small stair tower and a very tall tower and spire. All spires were crocketed while stained glass windows were decorated with cusped stone tracery of quatrefoil and cinquefoil type. The front entrance is surmounted by a grand rose window and crowned with an aedicula sheltering the statue of St. James. Finials crowned the spires and pinnacles of this church. The social impact of the complex is immense: just the hospital alone has treated approximately over half a million patients as of 1866, and the school started off with having 350 students the first year it opened its doors escalating to about 1500 throughout the years. However, Saint James Church was demolished in 1979 due to its escalating maintenance cost, and was replaced by a parking lot for the hospital.
Patrick C. Keely