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| First St. Michael Church, undated | Interior of first St. Michael Church, undated | Interior of St. Michael Church, 1990 | St. Michael Church, 2002 |
St. Michael, Elizabeth
St. Michael parish was founded in 1851. The parish was founded in response to the rise in the coal mining industry in the area and the subsequent rise in population. A church was built in Elizabeth and dedicated on September 28, 1851 to St. Michael. For four years, St. Michael was a mission church served by priests stationed elsewhere. In 1855, the parish was assigned its first resident pastor. By the end of the century, the population had grown to the point that the existing building was no longer adequate for the congregation. In 1908 an addition was added to the building.
This church served the parish until the 1980's. Beginning in 1984, plans for building a new church were studied. The old church needed extensive renovations and it was located near one of the boundaries of the parish. By moving the church from Elizabeth Borough to Elizabeth Township, the church could be more centrally located within the parish. This decision caused a split in the congregation; some supported the move while others opposed it. The group opposing the move filed a lawsuit and appealed the decision to the Vatican. While they ultimately lost both, this delayed the move. Work on the new church did not start until February 23, 1987 and the new church was dedicated on January 10, 1988.
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| First St. Michael Church, undated | Interior of first St. Michael Church, undated | Interior of St. Michael Church, 1990 | St. Michael Church, 2002 |
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