Here stands Saint Jerome’s Roman Catholic Church. This magnificent structure has served the Mott Haven area of the Bronx since its establishment in 1869.
Saint Jerome’s Church began with Father John J. Hughes. He sought to serve the growing Irish and German immigrant communities. Masses were first held in an abandoned Market House. This was located at the corner of Alexander Avenue and East 138th Street.
Father Hughes acquired the entire block. His plan included a church, a school and a rectory. The school building came first and its lower floor served as a chapel. It was dedicated on June 19, 1870.
Under Father Patrick Tandy, the church we see today was built. He succeeded Father Hughes. Delhi & Howard designed it in a Spanish Moorish Romanesque style. Construction started in 1898 and finished in July 1900. Father Tandy died nine months later. Its 100-foot main tower and cavernous interior are well-known. Some early parishioners even called it “the cathedral of the Bronx.”
Saint Jerome’s Church has witnessed many changes. After the war, many Puerto Ricans moved into the area. Later, immigrants came from the Dominican Republic and Mexico. Father John Grange recognized this shift. He created a shrine of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The Saint Jerome’s Church complex includes a church, a rectory and an elementary school. The church stands on the southeast corner of Alexander Avenue and East 138 Street. It showcases Italianate and Baroque Revival styles. The New York Times reported the new church would cost about $100,000. It would be one of the finest churches in the Bronx. The church would be made of brick and Dorchester stone. It would have a frontage of 80 feet on Alexander Avenue. The depth would measure 156 feet.
One tall bell tower and two smaller towers would top the front of the building. The church would seat about 1,000 people. The gallery could accommodate about 400 more. The rectory address is 230 Alexander Avenue.
The Victorian Gothic red brick school was built in 1871. It has three stories over a basement with sandstone trim. It is located at East 137 Street and Alexander Avenue. In 1898, the Academy of the Ursuline Sisters was moved to make way for the new church.
The W.W. Kimball Company of Chicago built the organ. It was installed behind the stained-glass windows in the gallery. The Great and Choir divisions were on the left. The Swell and Pedal divisions were on the right. The organ had tubular-pneumatic action.
The Estey Organ Company rebuilt the organ later. They installed electro-pneumatic action and the three-manual console. After a century of use and water damage, the organ was nearly unplayable. Glück Pipe Organs of New York City restored it in 2012. During this work, workers found the date August 16, 1900. It was written inside one of the windchests.
The Mott Haven Historic District includes Saint Jerome’s Church. The New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated it in 1986. Saint Jerome’s Elementary School closed in 2013. For many years, Ursuline Sisters and the Brothers of the Christian Schools staffed the school.
Saint Jerome’s Church stands as a testament to faith and community. It has adapted to changing times. Its doors remain open to all.