On November 3, 1973, fire destroyed the old Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 4061 West Broadway. The Robbinsdale Fire Department’s new “snorkel” was put to good use, but to no avail. The church built in 1911, had been used as classrooms and a gymnasium since 1959, when the new church at 41st Avenue and Hubbard was completed. The loss, including furnishings, was estimated at over $300,000 dollars by Rev. Wallace K. Holmes. In addition the fire cost the parish about $55,000 in other expenses, including new heating and water connections. Less than a year after the devastating blaze, Sacred Heart built their Multi Purpose Building on the site of the old church.
Ironically, the parish had been planning to demolish the building before it burned. In a church history published in the Multi Purpose Building’s dedication booklet, Arlene Knafla wondered if the ache of losing the old church would have been as painful if it had been torn down as scheduled. In 1982, a new rectory was built. Attempts to remodel the old rectory instead of demolishing it were negated by architects and contractors, citing substandard plumbing and dangerous wiring. There had been one fire in the old rectory already, so down it went. These photos were taken by Eileen Ruffenoch. Thanks to Molly Ruffenoch Nelson for sending them our way!
Excellent photos of the fire. One correction: the Multi Purpose building was not built on the site of the old church. It was already in the process of being built on the NE corner of the block next to what was then The Gingerbread House but is now P & D Mechanical Contracting.
I was a member of the church in the 1960s and played guitar for folk masses in the old sanctuary. When it burned down, the old people in the parish said it was God’s judgement because the folk masses were sacriligous. They didn’t like the group confession or the fact that Father Bob Hazel distributed communtion while we played “The 59th Street Bridge Song” (Feelin’ Groovy).
I was a second grader with a classroom in the old church when this happened. Elim Lutheran Church graciously offered to let use space in there building for a time. Even as a little kid I realized that was cool.