History behind the St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church in Flint, Michigan explored.

St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church is one of the long forgotten churches and historic churches of Flint, Michigan. This news article will explain and explore the history behind this church.

St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church was a Hungarian Catholic church that was established at 1309 Hickory Street in the St John neighborhood of Flint in 1921. 7 lots were purchased for $4.550 dollars. This brick building included a steeple and an attic. St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church began with a survey of Hungarian Catholics living in the East Side of Flint near the Buick factory. Roman and Greek Catholics made up the congregation of this church. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=pOlyyc17M-oC&pg=PA62&lpg=PA62&dq="1309+Hickory+Street"&source=bl&ots=gKpwP1s6ym)

However this church would not last for ever. This is because St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church fell a victim to the St John Urban Renewal Project. St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church was torn down in 1973 due to the St John Urban Renewal Project which demolished homes in the St John neighborhood. Another church never took over the building. Several churches and residents were displaced by I 475 expressway construction and the St. John Urban Renewal Project. Industrial pollution was a factor which led to the demolition of St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church. Industrial pollution played a major role in driving demands for urban renewal and open housing reform in Flint during that time. (Ref: https://books.google.com/books?id=gOgoEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA148&lpg=PA148)

When St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church closed, its congregants were absorbed by Blessed Sacrament in Burton where a parish hall and rectory was built in memory of St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church using funds from the closed church. St. John Vianney Catholic Church absorbed some of their congregants. White flight to the suburbs that began in the 1970s along with General Motors factories closings starting in the 1980s reduced the population of local Catholics and so the consolidating of Catholic churches was inevitable. (Ref: https://www.facebook.com/151794421505450/posts/i-finally-assembled-the-lost-houses-of-worship-piece-how-is-itlost-houses-of-wor/3251276821557179/)

St. Joseph Hungarian Catholic Church was located at 1309 Hickory Street, Flint, Michigan, US 48505.