Spring 2000; Volume 3 Issue 1 The New York LDS Historian Various Times and Sundry Places: Buildings Used by the LDS Church in Manhattan Written and Illustrated by Ned P. Thomas At the end of the 20th century, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is actively acquiring real estate and constructing new buildings for its expanding membership in New York City. The structures are a visible measure of the Church’s commitment to the city and seem to say that Latter-day Saints feel at home in New York. However, members haven’t always been so fortunate. Since the earliest days of the Church in the Free Thinkers to give a course of the city, members have searched for a lectures on Mormonism in Tammany home of their own, usually meeting in Hall, and soon the members had secured 2166 Broadway at 76th Street private homes and rented halls. A lull in “fifteen preaching places in the city, all (1928-1944) city church activity followed the west- of which were filled to overflow.3 ” ward trek in 1846 and 1847, and for most In 1840, Elders Brigham Young, Heber of the nineteenth century, no organized The New York LDS Historian branches met—at least so far as the C. Kimball, George A. Smith, and others is the quarterly newsletter of the New arrived in New York City en route to records show. But near the end of the York, New York Stake LDS History England as missionaries. They held nineteenth century, not long after the Committee. This newsletter contains Eastern States Mission was organized, many “precious meetings” with the articles about and notices of the research Saints, including a general Conference in Latter-day Saints began worshiping again of the Committee. the “Columbian Hall” located a few in New York on a regular basis. From doors east of the Bowery on Grand that time on, the search for better or More detailed research results are found Street.4 During this period, regular larger facilities has been a perpetual in our monograph series Monographs will church meetings were held at 31 Canal challenge. be announced in future issues of the New Street, near the intersection with York LDS Historian. Cortlandt Alley (1841-42); 29 Canal Early Meeting Places Street (1842-43); and 263 Grand Street, Following the organization of the first between Forsythe and Eldredge (1843- Current research projects: branch in July 1837, Church members 44). 5 were “accustomed to meet with two or 20th century overview of the history of the three other people in a small upper room Records for 1845 indicate that the East Church in New York City. on Goerck Street.”1 Parley P. Pratt, a River Branch was located at the intersec- 6 Mormon Poet Jon Beck Shank member of the Quorum of Twelve tion of First and Houston. On May 26, Apostles who was living in New York, 1844, Elder C. W. Wandle, direct from Mormon exhibits at the 1964 New York recorded that they had “hired chapels and Nauvoo, lectured on Mormonism at the World’s Fair advertised, but the people would not Marion Temperance Hall, 183 Canal hear, and the few who came went away Street.7 . Local branch leaders also met New York’s Hispanic Membership without being interested.”2 every six months for General Conference in a hall at 245 Spring Street.8 Discouraged, Pratt determined to leave New York City but was prompted to stay Between 1840 and 1890, New York City If you are interested in volunteering for by an outpouring of the Spirit at a prayer served primarily as a portal through research, writing, archiving or historical meeting held prior to his departure. which Mormon immigrants passed on activity planning, please contact Kent Larsen at (212) 927-7932. Elder Pratt was subsequently invited by See page 2 New York LDS Historian Spring 2000; Volume 3 Issue 1 Buildings in Manhattan (continued from previous page) their way West and from which Mormon 1). 14 When the New York, New York missionaries departed. The city was also Stake was organized on December 9, headquarters of the Eastern States 1934, its offices were located in this Mission, but Church membership in the building.15 Although relatively common area grew slowly. Near the end of the at the time, this arrangement ultimately nineteenth century, organized branches proved unsuccessful because it was began meeting more frequently in rented discovered that, like other lodgings in halls and other public buildings.9 town, the hotel was not very profitable without a bar, and most churches Early 1900s (including the Mormons) were opposed 16 In the early 1900s, New York City to including one. The hotel was later Directories list a succession of addresses extensively remodeled and reopened as 17 where Church members met. These the Promenade Theater in 1969. Today, addresses include: 70 West 125th Street the only evidence of the building’s (1900); 172 West 81st Street (1901-1903); historic significance as a religious 33 West 126th Street (1905); and structure is its original gothic façade. Hawthorne Hall, 153 West 125th Street (1906).10 The Eastern States Mission Home was also located at At that time, the Manhattan some of these addresses.11 Branch held its meetings in a In 1925, William Woolf, later to become “beer hall” on the east side of third Bishop of the th Manhattan Ward (1942 Broadway above 80 Street. The New York LDS Historian to 1948), moved to New York City to study Brother Woolf said he would arrive Published by the New York, New York Stake electronics at Columbia LDS History Committee of the Church of Jesus University. At that early to “clean beer cans off the Christ of Latter-day Saints. time, the Manhattan Branch held its meet- steps and straighten things up a New York, New York Stake President ings in a “beer hall” on Brent J. Belnap the east side of Broad- little” and “get the place aired out Committee Chairs way above 80th Street. Richard Bushman While serving as of beer and cigar smoke” before Claudia Bushman Superintendent of the Editor Sunday School, Brother the meetings began. Scott Tiffany Woolf said he would Publisher Kent Larsen arrive early to “clean st Committee members: beer cans off the steps and straighten 142 West 81 Street Delia Johnson things up a little” and “get the place aired When the Manhattan Ward finally left its Anne Knight out of beer and cigar smoke” before the meeting house on Broadway, temporary James Lucas meetings began.12 Other rented facilities facilities were arranged in Steinway Hall, Romulo Macias used by the Manhattan Branch during the where the Church had previously rented Glen Nelson early 1920s included Steinway Hall at space as a Branch. By this time, Church Taylor Petrie th Joanne Rowland 109 West 57 Street, Carnegie Hall on leaders had begun looking for an existing th th Cherlynn Thomas 57 Street at 7 Avenue, and Stillman’s chapel to buy, but sentiment against the Ned Thomas Gym, 316 West 57th Street.13 Mormons repeatedly caused other churches to withdraw from negotiations Then, in 1928, members moved to a at the last minute.18 A suitable structure long-lasting home in which history was was finally found at 142 West 81st Street. For further information contact Kent Larsen at made. From 1928 to 1944, the Manhat- However, ward members were counseled (212) 927-7932. tan Ward occupied the ground floor of a that, if they went to look at the chapel, hotel located at 2166 Broadway between 76th and 77th Streets (see illustration, p. See page 5 2 New York LDS Historian Spring 2000; Volume 3 Issue 1 The Brooklyn Building: First Chapel East of the Mississippi by Mark Butler At the end of the 19th century, Latter-day Saints in Brooklyn faced difficult challenges in their attempts to establish a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In 1898, the city of Brooklyn itself was absorbed into the five-borough metropolis of New York City. Similarly, two years later, the Brooklyn Saints ceased meeting on their own, and gathered instead with members in Manhattan. By 1904, however, the Brooklyn Branch first buildings erected by the Church east was formed and the Saints began again of the Mississippi since the Saints were meeting in Brooklyn for worship. From driven from Nauvoo over 70 years 1904 until 1918, the Brooklyn Branch earlier.4 met in a series of rented halls, homes, a The architecture of the chapel reflected Masonic Temple and a building housing familiar themes in other, more famous the Junior Order of American Mechanics. Of one such meeting place, James Church buildings—in particular the Laie, Hawaii Temple, which was constructed Knecht, later the president of the Branch, during the same period. The domed wrote: “This was a vile place.” Of others, he wrote “the only places we ceiling in the chapel approximated the more famous ceiling in the Salt Lake found were lodge halls over saloons, Tabernacle. On the mezzanine railing bowling alleys. The stench of stale beer and tobacco smoke was most offensive.” were familiar Mormon symbols, includ- Finally, in 1909 the church began meeting in a hall at the corner of Gates and Bushwick Avenues, described as “the The chapel and the mission home were the first suitable meeting place” since the organization of the branch.1 first buildings erected by the Church east In 1916 the Church acquired property at the corner of Gates and Franklin of the Mississippi since the Saints were Avenues, at the edge of the Bedford- Stuyvesant section, and began planning driven from Nauvoo over 70 years earlier.