Polish parishes and churches in Chicago. St. Joseph Church, outside view

St. Joseph parish was the first Polish community established in the workers’ districts around the
Union Stockyards, where the world’s largest meat industry plants operated in the 1920s. When Town of Lake was incorporated into Chicago in 1889, its name was changed to Back of the Yards.
St. Joseph’s parish was a strong patriotic center, especially during World War I, when 600 men living within its borders volunteered for service.
The literature states that the Romanesque Revival building was designed by Joseph Molitor, an architect of Czech origin. However, given that it is very similar to the Chicago St. Boniface church designed by Henry J. Schlacks, who erected the multifunctional building of St. Joseph’s parish, it cannot be ruled out that he also designed the church, and Molitor was only the contractor.
The dominant feature of the church, as well as the landscape of Chicago’s Back of the Yards, are the tall massive towers, which originally were one openwork story higher. The admirable stone masonry with details referring to Italian and French Romanesque style is contrasted with dark red brickwork.