On the unholiest day of the year, I’m featuring a church, Our Lady of Good Counsel Roman Catholic Church, constructed on 230 East 90th between 2nd and 3rd Avenues in 1892. When built, Jacob Ruppert’s brewery was across the street, and brewery workers, many of them German, were among the church’s first congregants; Germany had, and has, a great many Roman Catholics despite its status as the birthplace of Protestantism. Parishioners also used the 92nd street Ferry to Astoria, where they worked at any of William Steinway’s businesses, chief among them being the piano factory that remains in operation today.
Thomas H. Poole designed the Church of Our Lady of Good Counsel, which was completed in 1892. Its stone exterior is notable for crenellated coping and turrets which echo those found on the Calvary Squadron A Armory (designed by John R. Thomas in 1888-90) on Madison Avenue between 94th and 95th Streets. Inside, the ornate and spacious interior is decorated with lacy gothic details, galleries on three sides, and beautiful stained glass windows. — American Guild of Organists
The yellow and white flag is that of Vatican City, one of two independent countries completely surrounded by Italy. The other one is San Marino.
10/31/14