Atlanta Catholic Centennial

Union Church

Early church edifices

In 1845 a one-room house was built on what is now the northeast corner of Pryor and Houston Streets which was used as a school during the week and as a house of worship on the Sabbath. It was a union church, Sunday school and school house and open to the use of all denominations. This was, you might say, Atlanta's first church building. It is stated by one historian that, “The Catholics held their first public services in 1848, in the school-house, the Rev. Mr. Quinn officiating.” However, this has not been verified.

The years 1847 and 1848 saw the construction of the first church buildings to be used by the different religious denominations. In fact, it would appear as if each wished to construct the first church. To the Baptists goes the honor of starting the first church, but the Methodists claim the honor of the first dedication. The Methodists dedicated their first church in March, 1848, where the Candler Building now stands. The Baptists dedicated their first church on July 5, 1848, at the present north corner of Walton and Forsyth Streets where the Federal Building or “old post office,” as it is called, now stands. The Episcopalians built the fourth church on the east corner of Washington and Hunter Streets. It was completed in 1849. The Presbyterians organized January 8, 1848, but did not build a church until several years later. It was dedicated July 4, 1852. It was built where the Federal Reserve Bank now stands.

Third church building in Atlanta, located on the current property of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

The Catholics erected the third church building in Atlanta on the spot where the present Immaculate Conception Church now stands at the corner of Loyd (now Central Avenue) and East Hunter Streets. The lot on which the church was built was on the south corner of Loyd and East Hunter and was of an area of approximately one acre. It was conveyed from Daniel McScheffrey to Ignatius Reynolds, Bishop of Charleston, and his successors in office for church purposes for $300.00. The deed was dated February 23, 1848, and was recorded August 9, 1848. The church was built in 1848 or early in 1849. That the Catholics of Atlanta were preparing to build a church even earlier has documentary proof. As early as June 23, 1847, Terence Doonan conveyed to Bishop Reynolds an acre lot for the site of a Catholic Church. This was located in Block 17, Lot 4, of Atlanta.

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