HISTORY

Before The Fire

Built in 1863, St. Joseph’s Church served the German and Roman Catholics of downtown Rochester. Over almost two centuries, St Joseph’s evolved to provide a Parochial children’s School, later including the education of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, a Girls’ Orphanarium, and later, a Goods Store for the Parish Community. These facilities provided thousands of locals with opportunities for education, spiritual growth, and social connection; it has been a significant part of Rochester’s cultural evolution for generations.

ST. JOSEPH’S TRAGEDY

In 1974, when the church stood alone next to the sites that used to consist of the school and orphanage, an electrical fire burned down a significant portion of the 128-year-old structure. Local donors such as the Rochester Area Foundation and the Redemptorist Fathers contributed to the architectural rebuilding of the historical site done by Architect Frank S. Grosso.

In 1980, the Landmark Society deemed the church a living landmark and is now protected under New York State. Now known as St. Joseph’s Park, the site holds historical value toward our community’s ancestors.