Lofty Photos Photo Gallery by Karl R. Josker at pbase.com

Lofty Photos

Updated 7-27-10 with the addition of Holy Angels RC Church.

Churches listed alphabetically minus the St.

Buffalo possesses an incredible number of churches that are works of art, architecturally significant, and underappreciated, or simply unknown. My hope is that your interest may be piqued to the point of visiting some of these treasures, and begin to see Buffalo in a new light.

This is a continuing work in progress; additions will be added as circumstances permit.

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St. Joseph University RC Church, 3269 Main St. Buffalo, NY	Lafayette Ave Presbyterian, 875 Elmwood Ave. Buffalo, NY	Lincoln Memorial UMC, 641 Masten Ave. Buffalo, NY	St.Louis RC Church, Main & Edward Sts. Buffalo
St. Luke's RC Church, Sycamore and Miller, Buffalo, NY	St. Michael's RC Church	Michigan Street Baptist, 511 Michigan St. Buffalo, NY	Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary RC Church
New Life Assembly, 14 North St. Buffalo, NY	St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral, Church & Pearl Sts. Buffalo, NY	St. Paul's United Church of Christ	Precious Blood RC Church

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comment |

Bob		25-Dec-2015 17:19
To J. Carleton: St. Joseph's New Cathedral was erected in 1915 and demolished in 1976. You are correct about the structural problems, and the diocese deemed the structure beyond repair. The original church had twin 224 foot towers, and they were removed in 1927 for structural reasons as well. As an interesting side note, when the cathedral was demolished, the Blind Association of WNY acquired pieces of the marble façade, sized and shaped them, and they were offered for sale in a gift box along with a history booklet. The church itself was massive and beautiful, but not durable to time or the elements. Father time eventually caught up to it. There are pictures of it online, including with the original twin towers. Hope this helps!

Guest		31-Aug-2015 23:39
wow. this site appears ancient or at least dusty. However, thank you, beautiful stuff. I was looking for a shot of the outside of the Hotel California, a bar, to the best of my recollection was at Elmwood and Hertel. My son is involved in a current, like now, September 2015, mural project on Hertel Ave., wanted me to play. Looking for ideas. Anyway, if you're not a program, or are. Thanks.

Berniece M. Deer		25-Nov-2011 21:12
These are beautiful churches, but, where is Our Lady of Victory. In my opinion OLV is the most beautiful of all.

J.Carleton		07-Nov-2011 18:55
St Joseph New Cathederal , on Deleware Ave,was completed around 1947, and stood until the early / mid 60's. Last time I was inside was 1963. When it was built, stories abounded about it having miriad serious structural issues. My understanding was that cost to repair was excessive. Anyone know about this?

J.Carleton		07-Nov-2011 17:05
Nice to see Holy Angels RC included,...My grandparents attended there, and my parents were married there. I used to hear a story about the Presbyterian Church on Main & Jewett parkway; The window wall, facing Main St. was seperated from the building and moved intact to enlarge the bldg. A local company, who engineered that task, used a picture of it on their letterhead.

Chris Ando		31-Mar-2010 19:05
These pictures are just great! Thanks for posting them

Cindie Evans (skowronski)		07-Mar-2010 18:27
I am planning a trip to Buffalo June, 2010 and have been looking forward to seeing St. John Kanty church. I was recently told the church is now closed. I really hope that is not true. It was one of the most beautiful things I remember from my childhood. Growing up on Brownell St. in the 50's and 60's left me with such wonderful memories of my ethnic upbringing. I have the need to go back and see it all one more time. These photos are magnificent. They warm my heart

AnnaRose		12-Feb-2010 02:08
Thank you, Thank you!!! I absolutely love stained glass windows and architecture of churches. I've started a post card collection of such pictures. Perhaps you can put them on post cards to sell. Hope you expand to other cities, they're just waiting for you to share their beauty. God Bless you for sharing!

Guest		08-Jan-2009 08:54
Hope you can post one of First Presbyterian- across from Kleinhans Music Hall. I grew up around the corner, in good ol' Allentown! I was told it was the only building in Buffalo to survive the War of 1812 (not the current building, its' predecessor) but I don't know if this is true or not. Great Gallery!

Gina		15-Dec-2008 22:12
For all people who love checking out churches, the Hellenic Orthodox Church on Utica Street in Buffalo is absolutely breathtaking my church =D but it's just so beautiful and the architecture within the whole building is magnificent.

Guest		10-Dec-2008 20:13
Beautiful pictures but I was sorry to miss seeing Holy Angels on Porter Avenue as it is as beautiful or more beautiful than some of the others.

Joyce		25-Nov-2008 22:55
Many thanks for the pictures. They do indeed bring back many memories.

John		07-Nov-2008 20:15
Magnificent! The only word for it. And thank you for capturing it so well. You have a fine talent.

Robin		08-Mar-2008 11:40
What can you say when the powers that be take something so dear to your heart. If not for St Adalberts, Sister Johnice and Father Joe. I would not have become a catholic. I was babtisted on the same day as my young daughter. This truly feels like a death in the family. All I can say is take a good look at what became of Transfiguration Chuch, I went to school there ,and my daughter went to St Adalberts.. How sad.....

Tom Long		27-Aug-2007 21:01
It was great to see the old First Baptist Church. It certainly brought back memories. What happened to the church after it moved?

Adam		27-Aug-2007 05:50
St Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr Church has just undergone extensive restoration. They are awaiting final installation of new carpeting throughout the church. A picture of this parish should be posted.

Phillip Adamski		28-Jul-2007 18:18
Wonderful site. Many memories indeed. I have some recent pictures of St Stanislaus both inside and out. If anyone wants any let me know. I am a relative of the late Msgr Adamski.

Christine		04-Oct-2006 01:41
What a beautiful and wonderful collection of churches. I am so grateful there is someone like you out there helping us to see what we so often just pass by on a busy day.

Guest		17-Sep-2006 13:13
Wonderful collection of historical churches...these structures and the architectural designs are absolutely beautiful!

Rose		17-Jul-2006 16:23
To TS, there is a picture of the exterior of St Lukes' . I thought the church was closed. It brought back many memories from the1950's

Linda D		08-Mar-2006 17:42
Very beautiful. The sad thing is that with so many of Buffalo's RC churches likely to close in the next decade, many of these beauties will be lost ...

T.S.		13-Jan-2006 01:26
Love the picture of St. Luke's. I often wondered what happened to that beautiful church! I'd love to see pics of the old St. Luke's School; inside and out. Any chance of that happening?

Nancy Senger		23-Nov-2005 05:59
Beautiful pictures - what a way to commemorate the hard work of early immigrants who built these glorious churches with very little money and a lot of love. I sure would like to see a photo of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr - the Mother Church of Polonia in Buffalo. I think that would be a fabulous addition....

Dennis Lohouse		01-Nov-2005 02:41
Thank you very much for your work here. I would also love to see the interior of Holy Angels Church posted here. I grew up there as did my mother. Dating back to the 1850's, I believe it is one of the oldest churches in the city/

Mary Duchene		17-Sep-2005 00:47
I truly enjoyed all the pictures, Buffalo does have beautifu churches I would love to see one of Holy Angels on Buffalo's west side, it is breathtaking thanks again for a magnificent treat for the eyes!!!

Guest		27-Jul-2005 00:09
I am so glad to see some of our beautiful churches. I hope you take more photos of the rest of the churches. I was married in St Stephens . They have the most beautiful Christmas eve mass i have even been to, although its been years now since ive been there. Thank you. please do more and get more os st casmirs, they have the statues on the sides and the cross and the pieta is beautiful there. Holy family is atill as nice as ever also. ty so much GBU kate

Lawicki		11-Jul-2005 20:16
Great photos of some of Buffalo's church gems. I am especially happy to see such a fine representation of Polish parishes from the area, although am puzzled as to why the "Mother Church of Polonia," St. Stanislaus B.M. Church has not been included. It is a marvelous church - awesome in design, stained glass, etc.

Gary Thomas		30-Apr-2005 23:35
Karl, I am a member of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Buffalo, NY and I am thrilled by your picture of our church and all the other beautiful houses of worship in our city. I hope you plan on returning and adding more photos of our local churches. So many people...myself included...drive by these lovely buildings without appreciating their significance and their place in our city. Thank you so much. Gary Thomas

David		02-Apr-2005 09:14
Excellent photographs. Thank you for raising my awareness of the gems we have. When one hears of our architecture churches are seldom mentioned, save one or two favored ones. Incidently, St. Luke's Mission of Mercy is undergoing a massive restoration project. Come back in a few years and take some new shots.

jane jacobson		16-Jul-2004 18:18
Beautiful churches of Buffalo! Thanx for this work. I give occasional stained glass history tours of some of these buildings for local community groups and never fail to be awe inspired. As a glass designer, I know that we have some of the finest quality and big name Victorian and Gothic Revival glass artists...Tiffany, La Farge, Connick, J.R.Lamb, Meyer of Munich, etc. There's a catalog to be made..... Jane Jacobson, Glass Roots Studio

kathy		01-May-2004 19:52
your pictures are most impressive...beautiful. i have never been to buffalo, but that is where my ancestors are from and i hope to visit someday. some of my earliest family members attended and had their children christened at st. anns. my grandfather attended school at st. josephs (he was born in 1899). thank you for this great site!!! kathy

D.M. O'Rourke		28-Apr-2004 19:53
This is a truly worthwhile project and having just discovered it I am very much impressed. I wish, however, that you had at least one interior photo of St. Joseph's New Cathedral. I remember it well. It was truly magnificent and I was shocked when I saw scenes on one of the local Buffalo Newscasts, of it being demolished. Living in Toronto I hadn't heard the sad news of it's demise. The Newscast was, ironically, on Good Friday, a number of years back. I still have a newsclip of an ordination in the Cathedral in Pre-Vatican II times.

Rita Badgley		09-Apr-2004 18:03
As usual, your pictures are beautiful. These especially brought back many memories of visiting seven chruches on Holy Thursday each year. Some of those we visited were among your pictures. I know it's not a RC Church anymore, but would you have any pictures of St. Matthew's on Ferry & Moselle? That too, was beautiful!

Gina		06-Jan-2004 06:11
Beautiful & interesting. I'd love to see Holy Angels included. I returned to Buffalo a few years ago and brought my husband to see the church I grew up in. I found out that the two stained glass windows over the altar were donated by Tiffany many years ago...they are truly spectacular.

George NELSON		02-Dec-2003 19:30
Karl Very well done. I wish more individuals would dig out their camreras, get in their cars, and go just briefly to visit these wonderful building we have all driven past a thousand times. If you will permit - a suggestion. What you have done is a tremendous start. Perhaps, to make your photo-essay just a bit more complete, and helpful to future and current (such as myself) researchers. Please consider taking a photo from the rear of the church, then one in reverse from the front looking to the rear, and perhaps even a photo of the exterior facade. This will document at least the major interior features and make the exterior recognizable. As an organ historian, I of course would be thrilled if you had more organ links, such as that for St Stephen's RC, which is great. In preparation for the upcoming 2004 convention of the Organ Historical Society, to be held in June of next year, I have saved your immages to be added to material of the convention. (no - they are not to be sold for publication, rather archived.) There are a couple of churches we will be visiting you have not yet chronicled. Perhaps you would consider: Ascension Episcopal Central Park Methodist Jordan River Baptist - former Kensington Methodist Nativity of the Blessed Virgin RC St Anthoy of Padua RC St Francis Xavier RC St Louis RC Karpeles Manuscript Museum - former Plymouth MEthodist West Side ARts Center - former Richmond Avenue Methodist all of the above will be visited by the convention - along with numerous others both in the city, and within the greater Buffalo area. OH - for your notes on Assumption Hellinic Orthodox, you might want to note that the building was originally North Presbyterian. Again - thanks for the great start keep it up george

Guest		10-Nov-2003 03:07
This is great ! I went to ST. Casimir's um 5th thru 8th grade, I Was Married in St Ann's. Thank You

Guest		26-Oct-2003 03:02
What a wonderful picture tour of the Bflo. churches! What masterpieces! What testiments to the faith of immigrants, our forbears. I can hardly wait to see this updated with churches like St. Stanislaus, St. John Kanty, St., Adalbert Basilica, St. Agnes, St. Anne, and other beautiful churches as well. Unfortunately, these places are not treasured as they ought be and are too easily sold or demlished, their furnishings and artwork sold to the highest bidder. What a wonderful site to chronicle the faith of generations that now live only in the churches built by their sacrifice! And... it was great to see St. Casimir's wherein Pope John Paul II himself celebrated Holy Mass! I'll check the site often to see any new additions! Thank you for this site!

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