postcard mailed 1945
In South Memphis at 588 E. Trigg Street.
St. Thomas Catholic Church was established in 1905. In the mid-1960s, Memphis' black Catholic St. Augustine Parish moved into the St. Thomas church building and changed its name to the St. Thomas Parish. In 1988, that parish moved to its current location at 1169 Kerr Avenue and changed its name back to St. Augustine.
Part of the pictured shrine seems to be still there:maps.google.com/maps?q=588+E.+Trigg+Ave.,+Memphis,+Tennes...
The Convent building behind it looks to have been in use a bit more recently. I think what's left of the shrine is between the two buildings where that group of trees are.
Info on the web pages below mention that St. Thomas High School (also known as St. Thomas Academy), the parish school for St. Thomas Catholic Church that was on the Church grounds, closed in 1965 and the predominantly white congregation of the Church moved to another Memphis parish. But Memphis' mostly African American Catholic congregation (previously named the St. Augustine Parish) moved in right after and changed its name to St. Thomas Parish. In 1988, the St. Thomas Parish moved to its current location at 1169 Kerr Avenue and changed its name back to St. Augustine. So the building was used as a Catholic church with the name St. Thomas until 1988, but by one congregation from 1905-1965 and then by a completely different one from 1966-1988. Interesting!
External Links:
- staugustinememphis.org/about_us
- www.bishopbyrne.org/history.html
- bbhs.leonardtemple.com/History.html
Source: flicker.com
Info on the web pages below mention that St. Thomas High School (also known as St. Thomas Academy), the parish school for St. Thomas Catholic Church that was on the Church grounds, closed in 1965 and the predominantly white congregation of the Church moved to another Memphis parish. But Memphis' mostly African American Catholic congregation (previously named the St. Augustine Parish) moved in right after and changed its name to St. Thomas Parish. In 1988, the St. Thomas Parish moved to its current location at 1169 Kerr Avenue and changed its name back to St. Augustine. So the building was used as a Catholic church with the name St. Thomas until 1988, but by one congregation from 1905-1965 and then by a completely different one from 1966-1988. Interesting!
External Links:
- staugustinememphis.org/about_us
- www.bishopbyrne.org/history.html
- bbhs.leonardtemple.com/History.html