St. Joseph

St. Joseph's was Rochester's first German Catholic parish and the third Roman Catholic church in the city, founded on July 10, 1836. When the first Germans arrived in Rochester in 1817, the nearest German Catholic church was in Albany. With money received from Bishop Zaengerle of Austria, Father Joseph Prost purchased lots on Franklin Street in February 1837 for $1,400.

The cornerstone was laid on August 15, 1843, and the church was completed in 1846 in the Greek Revival style. The simple church was enlarged in 1849 into a cruciform plan that could seat a thousand parishioners. A steeple was added in 1859 and later replaced with a tower in 1909, designed by Joseph Oberlies. The rectory was constructed in 1870 in the Italianate style.

St. Joseph's became the mother church for German Catholic parishes throughout western New York, spawning nine other German congregations in the region. The quiet old building became known lovingly as the "Oasis of Grace." The church complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1975.

Tragedy struck in October 1974 when a serious fire destroyed the church, leaving only the tower and walls standing. Rather than rebuild, the parish was closed. The Landmark Society of Western New York led efforts to preserve the remaining structure, and in 1980, an urban park was created within the still-standing exterior walls. Today, St. Joseph's Park stands as a memorial to the German Catholic heritage of Rochester.