Side view of Divine Saviour Catholic Church, located on the corner of Cypress Avenue and Idell Street. The entrance to the large church has three small steps and a landing leading to several doors. An enormous concrete steeple is on the right of the church; it contains a single bell, seen through cut out sections, with a simple cross resting at the very top. A marquee listing days and times of services sits to the left. Divine Saviour Catholic Church, established in 1907, was erected primarily by and for Polish residents who worked for the railroad and lived alongside the Southern Pacific freight yards that bordered the Los Angeles River. Father J.W. Organisiak of the Society of the Divine Saviour had received permission from Bishop Thomas Conaty to open a mission for Polish-speaking Catholics. Land was purchased near the car barns for $13,000 and the first church building was completed in September 1907. By 1914 the small Polish mission was largely English speaking. In 1922 a new school was erected, followed by a new church building in 1924. In 1964 the old church was bulldozed and in 1966 the distinctive new building was dedicated. Divine Saviour was the 13th Catholic parish established in the city of Los Angeles. Photo dated: April 2007.
Divine Saviour Catholic Church (Los Angeles, Calif.) Catholic churches--California--Los Angeles Church buildings--California--Los Angeles Bell towers--California--Los Angeles Parishes--California--Los Angeles Marquees--California--Los Angeles Los Angeles Photographers Collection photographs Jeff Allen Houses of Worship Collection photographs
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