Holy Trinity Church Complex LOCATION

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cc1 cacJcCe*W Fo,r 0300 Rev. 10.74 ‘°‘ IkIAItiNiI,N I 31 I IlL INlLlII II LJI’IiEtS]iItS NF’S USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES RECEIVED

INVENTORY --NOMINATION FORM [PATE EN1 FRED . -______

SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOWTO COMPLETENAT/ONAL REG/STERFORMS TYPE ALL ENTFUES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS

NAME . HISTORIC Holy Trinity Church

AND/On COMMON - Holy Trinity Church Complex LOCATION

STREET & NUMBER 134 Fuller Avenue . FOR PUBLICATION CITY TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISIRICT Central Falls - VICINITYOF Ill - Rep. Fernand 3. St.Gennain STATE . CODE COUNTY CODE Rhode Island . . CLASSIFICATION

CATEGORY OWNERSHIP StATUS PRESENTUSE

X.OCCUPIEO . .X_BUILDINGISI . 2130TH WQRK IN PROGRESS X EDUCATIONAL ...PRIVAIE RESIDENCE

PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE . .XRELIGIOUS

PROCESS LYES: RESTRICTED . ..LGOVERNMENT -SCIENTIFIC CONSIDERED ..YES: UNRESTRICTED OIHER OWNER OF PROPERTY

NAME City of Central Falls Corp. of the Church of tho Holy

STREET& NUMBER .- .. -. . Trinity. 580 Broad Street 134 Fuller AvenLie CITY. TOWN . . STATE

Central Falls VICINIFYOF . Rhode 1st I11C1 LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION

COURTHOUSE. . REGISTRYOFDEEDS.ETC. Central Palls City Hall

STREET & NUMBER 580 Broad Street

CITY. TOWN . SIAIF Ccii t r:I I lulls Rh C do F sin lId QREPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS

TITLE P-CF-l Statewide Historic eservation Report DATE

1977 . ...JEDEIIAL ..SIAIE .....COUNIY .....LOCAL DEPOSIFORY FOR SURVEYRECOROSRh0de Island Historical Preservation Commission. CITY. TOWN STATE 150 Benefit Stre. Island /

/ESCRIPTION . .

1/ CONDITION tHECK ONE CHECK ONE / EXCELLENT _DETERIORATED., _UNALTERED .G0OD .._RUINS. ZALIERED .._MDVEO DATE______FAIR _UNEXPOSED

DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL IF KNOWN PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

Holy Trinity Church at the corner of Medley and Fuller Avenues is the focal point of an architecturally harmonious complex designed to house the activities of the only Irish Catholic parish in Central Falls. On the same block are the Holy Trinity rectory, convent, school, and parish house.

Holy Trinity church, the centerpiece of the group, was completed in 1897 following the designs of architect James Murphy. Construction began in July, 1889, and was completed in 1891. . The spire was built six years later and a bell cast by Blake and Company Boston was installed.

The Church is. a Victorian Gothic structure set on a high basement, executed in red brick, with granite trim and a grey slate rpof. The plan is basilican, with a gable-roofed, clerestory-lit nave and flanking shed-roofed aisles.

The principal elevation is dominated by a four-level tower at its northeastern corner, surrounded by pinnacles, and lit by a variety of windows on its second, third and fourth levels; it is capped by a hexagonal spire. The principal entrance is set in the center qf the facade, with subsidiary doors on either side, one in the tower and the other under the shed roof of the south aisle. The double oak doors of each entrance are set in a Gothic a rch topped by tripartite windows. Over the central entrance is a set of five lancet windows of graduated heights and a trio of smaller windows is set high in the peak of the gable.

The nave is six bays long and ends in a large traceTied stained glass window. The .clerestory . contains six small stained glass lancet windows. The side aisles are buttressed and have stained glass windows * ,with brick voussoirs and granite sills, spring blocks, and keystones. The windows depict a variety of saintly figures and were the gifts of .4 individual parishioners. A small one- story extension from the southwest corner of the church contains the sacristy and a narrow stair to the church basement.

The three main entrance doors open to a nartliex panelled in oak, which was added in 1916. From this vest ihuld, tli roe oak doors open into the body of the church; these doors are separated by two small rooms which serve as a childrens I room and a confession room. Both are enclosed with oak panels carved in Gothic designs which are repeated the etched glass of the upper part of thea r wills

The nave of. the church is divided by six pairs of columns which

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UNITED STATES DIIIARTMt.NF Ut Flit INTERiOR FOR Nt’S USE ONLY *. i.*y’. I NATIONAL PARK SERVICE I * * * RECEIVED * . * *, * Itx. **‘. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES L. * DATE ENTERED . INVENTORY--NOMINATION FORM

CONII NUATION SHEET 1 ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 2

support the shallow clerestory. The side aisles are panelled in. oak to a height of three-and-a-hEl:If feet. At the west end of the aisles are niches which once contained side altars, 110W remo ved. The simple oak pews and the crown-shaped, brass hanging larñps we re installed in 1939.

*The organgallery over the narthex is open to the body of tire church and is faced with a low, carved, light oa k panel. It is reached by narrow stairs in the tower vestibule and contains the original pipe organ

The sanctuary walls are painted with scenes from the life of Christ and, like the ceiling of the church, with a vine design executed in rose pink and soft grey. Tile focal point of the sanctua ry is the marble reredos set beneath the we st window. Elaborately carved with Gothic motifs, it contains three niches enclosing figures of an gels on either end and a crucifix over the tabernacle. The main altar, which dates from 1914, is beige marble and i s set two steps above the san ctuary floor. As a result of changes in Catholic liturgi cal practice, a simple altar table has been installed in front of the main altar; the raised sanctuary, originally surrounded by a low railing, is now open to the nave and proj ects into it. At the south em side of the sanctuary is the door Ieadingto the basement stairs and the sacristy, lined with oak vestment cases.

The basement of the church / contains a large assembly hail, simply finished with oak wainscoting to the level of t he window sills, with a delicate floral stencil on the plaster walls above.

Tue 1893 re ctory, located directly south off the church and facing PuT I.e r Avon tie is a two-and-on c-hal F story, i’aIIi.tc-tri.mined, red hi’ick mans a rid- roo fed block, set nit a * hJgh basement, the center door; set role in a sit all ow p ctod v i I ii, Oil , was 0 tI I n a II II rotee. ted by ri small entrance portico, now removed [ts square-headed windows are set under brick s e gmeii t al a rches A one- story, flat-rooFed porch with turned railings extends From the north side off the bkli 11111g. The in tori or consists of simply - fin ished, i.es tdent al scai.e rooms, arranged around a long central hall.

The convent, directly behind the rectory and facing Cowden Street, was designed by Murphy and Hindle and was opened in 1905.. It is of red brick

See continuation sheet 2 O.300a * *.

0.741 * - LJNIIE1 SI,ItS I11p,I&INll:NI Ott IN INIERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY * NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES 4 .ter,44Y c-.. DATE ENTERED INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM

CoNri NIJATION SHEET 2 ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE 3

trimmed in granite, it is a square building whose cross-gable roof is interrupted by a series of gabled dorme,rs. Its most distinctive feature is a heavily-scaled entrance portico set on brick piers and topped by a broken pediineiit. . A one-story, flat- roofed porch extends from the west side. The interior contains residential scale rooms, finished simply with oak woodwork. A single-story extension to the rear of the building contains the convent’s chapel with a small altar set in the north niche; carved oak stalls line either side of the chapel.

The Uoly Trinity school building, like the conVent, was designed by Murphy and 1-Iind.ie and completed in 1905. It is a rectangular, * two-and-one-half story gable end structure flanked on either side byExecutedtwo-story hipped roof extensions and set on a raised basement. in the same red brick and granite trim as the rectory and convent, its principal feature is a round arched entryway, flanked by pilasters and topped by an oriel proj ecting from the second story. The interior contains several classrooms arranged on either side of a long cerr.i odr which- extends across the width of the building, a library and a small auditorium on tile upper floor.

Adj acent to the school and facing Cowden Street is the Holy Trinity parish house, constructed in 1925 and designed by Irving Gorman. Set on a high basement, the two- story, red brick, rectangular building has a red tile hip roof. A long one-story wing on the west side originally housed a bowling alley and is now a game room. A small entrance pavilion extends on either side of the Cowden Street facade. The multi-paned eindows have granite sills and, in the pavilions, label molds; a d hay window extends from the center of the facade. The interior contains a variety of activity and

meeting rooms, * a swmmi ng pool, and gymnasium. iVith the four - other buildings of tile complex, it Forms a unified whole; although some of the Iwid oii the no ith s I de h :is heei paVed to c re :1 to fl ik I ng and iIay a i’oas , much 0 I: i t rem;I I ms iii I awn and i s a p I ens an t reen space in tue densely. deve toped ne.ghborhood. A simple c;ist irOn fence marks the church p rope rty line and a low brick wal isur rounds two sides of the parish house. *. -

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jOOa ‘4? . - UNITED SAILS LIfPAR1MIiNI 01 I Ilk INTERIOR FOR NPS USE ONLY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE RECEIVED MTIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY--NOMINATION FORM DATE ENTERED

CONTI NUATION SHEET 3 * ITEM NUMBER 7 PAGE L1

11E PLAN HOL’V TRINrfl" LtIUECJ4CPMflE/ CEJITZa.u laLL, Ri-jove If’LAJ-9 ______. ..L$LI

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* 1*s4O01499 _.AFICHEOI.OGYIIISTOHIC _.CONSENVATION -- _I.AW . _SCIEJCE

!,soo-i AGRICUL1UNE - ECONOMICS _LITERAIINE * ._SCULPJIJBE ‘1 ,c.I600I699 XAflCFII’,ECTURE EnticArlon _.MrnvAny * ?LSOCIAL/HUMANITABIAN

* ii 700-1799 _Afl I .,.ENGI N EEIII NC _MUSIC EAT ER -

3Xiaoo- 1899 _COMMERCE _EXPLOPATION/SETILEMENT .PIfl.OSOPI{Y * * _IIIANSPORTATION ,Xjgoo _COMMUNICATIONS INOUSTFlY PoLrrIcs/GOvERNMENT _OTIIER SPECIFYI

* _INVEF4TIQN -

SPECIFIC DATES 1889,1893, 1905, 1925’ BUILDER/ARCHITECT jallies Murphy, Murphy i-Iindle, Irvin Co miian STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE

Set in a dense ly-deve loped residential neighborhood in the center of the city of? Central Falls, the Holy Trinity cimurcii’complex is a handsome group, of structures dbsigned for the various activities off a late nineteenth century, e thn ically-orien ted, Catholic pan sli and is both architecturally and historically significant. The complex includes five structures whi cii occupy the eastern half of a :tong block surrounded by iledley Avenue and Pu 11cr, Cowden and Dexter streets - The centerpiece of the complex is tile 1889 Victorian Gothic Holy Trinity Church. . -

Holy Trinity Church was designed by James Murphy, a Providence church architect, ‘ho wo i’ked alillos t exclusively for Rhode ls land Catholic parishes in a career spanning the years from 1861 to 1890. Among his works are St. Ninry’ s Church, at Broadway and Barton streets, * - Providence, now included ill Che Broadway-Armory National Register Historic District, and St. Edward’s Church on Branch Avenue, Providence. Murphy’s holy Trinity Church jim Central Falls is the principal architectural monument of its neighborhood which is made up largely of closcly_packe:d 2- and 3- Family houses. [ts steeple, one off the tallest church spires left in Central Falls, is visible throughout * the neighborhood and Croiim the western approaches to time city. The auxiliar/ buildings of the complex--lectory, convent, school , and parish house--although less elaborate, complement time church, repeat its red brick material and create a uni lied grouping. iii architectural terms , the group i s a rep resentative and well-preserved example off Catholic parish architecture off the late im’irmeteeimtii century.

lvii ii e foti r off tile liVe III i I d iii 5 ill t lie I Ill V 1I’ II CI1IIIJ 1 cx are owned nd used by a i.e I 1 tiiis I us t I LIt Li ill 11111 WIiI I ft Lb II:; o rd uma ri] y be excluded From colt:; i.IieIaL ion for the Nati 011:11 Begi steu-, the primary significance off time complex. derives from its historic role a center the of Irish Catholic couIImIllmity life ium Central I:] is. nineteenth In the century, the city had a largely Foreigui-hiorn Catholic population, and Catholic Ian she:; were formed ;IIId developed along national hues. Located in xesident al neij’hborimoods and surrounded * by the llIultL family - tenements which housed their parishioners, ethnically-

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REcEIvED - *- -‘- - fl ONAL REGISTER OF’ FIIST OR1C PLACES DATE ENIERED , ‘ ‘ . - INVENTORY-- NOMINATION FORM

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CON TI Nt ATION SHEET ‘ ITEM NIJM RE 0 3 PAGE 2

j;iented churches played a large role in the life 0 ff their immigrant pcommunities and often’ built several aim cillary s,t ruc tures ne an the church &to serve the multiple’ rd igious and se cu la r. roles of- the p a r is Ii. lb :‘The ly Trinity complex is thie he’s t - p reserved a 111 the Ilios t vi smially ‘unified of several such complexes hull t hi y 1,mnm i grant g roup in the, city.

The Irish had been a s iIm i Ficant part off Cell t ra I Pa his POPu] lItm oil since* the first half off time nineteenth century, when a large uiumher S,of Irish came to the area to work on the colis tr uct i,on off tile’ Providence * and iVorceste r Rail road and the numerous lId 11 h ui,1 t al ong time banks of the BIackston River; they later found work. mn tile expanding textile and metal’ industries of the tegion. rS: Holy Trinity parish was formed-in 1888 from parts of nearby Pawtucket ‘!2’3’nd Valley Falls parishes when tIme Trish poptliatlon o ‘F the city was still increasing. Although numerically outnumbered by Irench Canádiañ rgc, immigrants, the Irish were still one of ‘the’ largest ethnic groups in h’ the city and were concentrated in its central nei ghb o ihood . hhe church corporation borrowed $i 5,000 to begin building, and construction on ‘,‘i:’ the church hegaui in 1839. Services were first held i,n the roo fed over basement a conmitmon r1nacti,c.e , while the parish t:I thic.ied its resources to complete time cdi F ice.. House - to-imollse 5 oh ci tat ion’s hy the I ri sli - horn *pas to r, Fr. Pat ri ck -Pa rrel I y , and hi is huH,i i JIg coliTlal ttee 4 were conducted * to pay for construction. The church was completed in 1891 and the steeple finished in 1897. Holy TiJn-i’ty qu ckly became the center of rd igious and social life of the city’s largest Irish neighborhood. Churchi-spouisored picnics, boat excursions, and theatrical presentations provided’ muclm of the social and recreational life of ‘tIme Irish working- class neighborhood. The continuing importance oF. time parish and the various roles which it it played in the surrounding colilmun ity are represented by the number of auxiliary huti 11 ngs ceum L ruic ted over thF ITCX t thu nec decades as it grew and as its resources al i,uwed. hhe rectory, provtdiumg priests’ living qua r te rs aim ti pa ri sit n F Ci cc s , was bIll I t i um I 892 albj ceim t to -- the church’; its anchmi tect i,s uumklmowim. A school, omiginally accommodating almost 500 students, sti 1,1 operates. Time coimvellt provided 1vng quarters for the Presentation Sisters. Both were built in 1905.

* , Time paris Ii lious e, comp I e ted in 1 926 :t a co s t 0 F $ I 51, 001 , - hiatus ed - ‘ many of the ion-religious ;Ictivi ties mmd FtmIIcti,oJms of holy Friumi ty.

* * See coimt iumua t iCti sheet S

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CONTINUATION SHEET 5 ‘ - hEM NUMBER 3 PAGE 3

- The meetings of many panisim social and servi cc orgaumizat:ions such as the h’boiy Name Society, time Cimi I dreui off Mary Sodality, the Yo uuum cl Men s Catholic Club, the St. V’i,um cent d e Paul So cie ty , and -time Ru i ghl ts off ‘Coluimdius were held here. The recreatioumah, resources n C ‘1111 C I h,i0 b tables,- bowling alleys, a [lb r a ny , a 5 ma I ‘I, gyuiii as 111Th, and the 0 II lv - - swjmming pool’ in the c i’ty Ihe p 3m sim house was a Iso i,ised For lectures,

shows, - dances , and plays classes in domes ti,c sci en cc; and a regular - Sunday prog rarm ,o F amoving i ctures The par shm bio use wa 5, to a large extent, the parti cutar p r oject off Ms g’n . Jolmum Sul,1 I, van, time pastor, and an author off noted texts on Catholic simm and s ci,en ti:ffi,c subjects as well. He inten cled the pa risli house to serve the wi o i e coammunity as well as ‘parisim members an d , indeed, its recreatio malt fa cilities were

used by non -pa. i’ is hi on ers - The paris h ho use has recently been acquired by the city of Central Pa lls and- is hei,n g renovated to serve as the Central Pails hloys’ - Ci ub/ Coimmmnun , ty Ce n te n. Ft will continue to serve the social and recreat lanai needs of the neighborhood

- Since tliei r construction, Hol,y Trinity ChTircli and its ancillary -buildings have, dominated the 5 Li rround ,i ng- neighh orb oocl, 10 th visually and as the institutional cen ter of rd igious, educational and social

life for a large commun I ty ‘o ff I ri,siT i,mmi,graimt,s umd - thei r deseimdants As it stands today, the camp lex represents the s acriffices off time -and eTie rgy expemde d by a large 1’ w o rk tug- class I risli -American panisim

- ‘ and is a tes timony to their ma tori alt achievement Its role as the - - church of mimi grants con ti* n ue 5 into this decade. Wi tli in the’ last ten - ye ars , a new group o,f imm:i, gran ts, most of them S p a n i, s ii - s pe a k i n g * Colombians, have been added to the nei ghhorbiood near the church. - Like their I rish predecessors, many off timese new arrival work in

the textile mills of the city. As it did for the Irish, - holy Trinity now plays -a broad role in their lives.

:4- - .- ‘- - - OR BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCI:s - Ic

John P., LflorF time HolvTrinily Parish, no - pub 1. , 1939.

%jvenir of the P tnish of thu holy hi III ty, 190S

A rfl-- GEOGRAPHICAL DATA -- - about - . - 7’ ., ACREAGE OF NOMINATED PROPERTY 2 IJTM REFERENCES

Aj I - 191 -131 Oil Ii 8 0! 14,61 3tQl9iQ 01 B! II I L1J I ZONE EASTING -- NORTHING ZONE EASTING - NORTHING :l_ ‘ci i Ill I I I II LI iI - DI I Ii i Ii III I I VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION I.

LIST ALL STATES AND COUNTIES FOR PROPERTIES OVERLAPPING STATE OR COUNTY’BOUNDARIES

STATE CODE COD CODE

STATE CODE COUNTY CODE

-,‘WFORMPREPAREDBY - - - - ‘ NAME/TITLE - Pamela Kennedy - [historical Survey Specialist ORGANIZATION - DATE Rhode Island Historica1 Preservation CommissiOn June 17, 1977 - STREET & NUMBER - - tELEPHONE ‘ 150 Benefit Street 277-2678 CITY OR TOWN - ‘ STATE Providence Rhode Island HISTORIC PRESERVATION OFFICER CERTIFICATION THE EVALUATED SIGNIFICANCE OF THIS PROPERTY WITHIN THE STATE IS:,

NATIONAL.... -‘ STATE LOCAL-’

As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the Naiional HistoriC Preservation Act of 1966 bPubhic Law 89-665, I hereby nominate this property for inclusion i 3,e National eqister and cermify thai ii has been evaluated according To the criteria and procedures set forth by the Natio al Pa Servic

FEDERAL REPRESENIATIVE SIGNATURE C -

iTITLE - - DATE oNLY,t: rNp5 USE ** ,‘: ‘ ‘ ‘ ,,*‘ * HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS PROPERTY IS INcLUOLD IN THE NA1 ONAL REC,lSi ER ‘ ‘‘ ‘, ‘-‘-‘* - - -- - ,: 2’, ‘‘- ‘ - - - - - ‘ - - DAtE ,,

RECTOR, OFFICE OF, ARCHEOLOGY AND HISTORIC PRESERVATION - ‘- -‘ A DATE

KEEPER OFTHENATIONALREGISTER ‘‘V’, ‘‘‘ ‘- ‘ *‘: :-‘ ¶W7’-’ t

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island

Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commiss ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Holy Trinity Church from southeast.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commiss ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Nave interior, Holy Trinity Church

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commis s ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Holy Trinity Church and Rectory from southeast.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Coinmis s ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Holy Trinity Convent from southwest.

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HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commis s ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Holy Trinity School from south.

---,- -- .--- HOLY TRINITY CHURCH COMPLEX Central Falls, Rhode Island

Photographer: Warren Jagger Date of Photograph: May, 1977 Negative: Rhode Island Historical Preservation Commis s ion 150 Benefit Street Providence, Rhode Island 02903

Central Fi1ls Community Center Holy Trinity Parish House from southeast.

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