Is that a "For Sale" sign in front of St Mark's Episcopal Church in Riverside? This sign must have appeared within the last couple of weeks, and it is a sad omen of changing times. Think of all the people who worshipped here, met here, were baptized or memorialized here... Unlike its namesake in Warren [see April 6th], St Mark's in Riverside is a 20th century structure (built in 1965, according to the property's real estate listing). Its location is Riverside Square was once a bustling stop along the trolley line, the stop just before Crescent Park (mostly destroyed in the Hurricane of '38, but still boasting a fabulous Looff Carousel).
St Brendan's Roman Catholic Church still stands across the street and one block east of St Mark's. There, people continue to meet for mass each morning, although St Brendan's school closed its doors a few years ago, due to declining enrollment.
Perhaps it is the old, somewhat remote (from the main thoroughfares) Riverside Square location that consigned these buildings to close. As more of these old (and not so old) centers for worship, fellowship, and education close their doors, a way of life ebbs away.
No comments:
Post a Comment