Unveiling of the PA Historic Marker & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the interpretive panels and memorial wall at St. Nicholas Church Historic Site.

Preserve Croatian Heritage Foundation (PCHF) invites you to attend a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new St. Nicholas Church Historic Site and a public dedication of a Pennsylvania Historical Marker for the former St. Nicholas Church, N.S. on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at 11 AM.

There will be a ribbon cutting for the memorial wall and interpretive panels for St. Nicholas, Pittsburgh PA, the first Croatian parish in America.

The panels describe the rich history and significance of St. Nicholas Church, Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto and the Mala Jaska neighborhood. The dedication for the marker will conclude the ceremony.

Guest speakers include: Josko Paro, Croatian Ambassador to the U.S., Ed Pazo, our National President; Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto; Jim Ferlo, retired State Senator and a founding member of Preservation Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh City Councilwoman Darlene Harris, and PennDOT District Executive Dan Cessna. Other dignitaries will be in attendance.

The Junior Tamburitzans of Duquesne will provide entertainment, singing the National Anthems of the U.S.A. and Croatia.

A new walkway that begins at the parking lot across the street from Penn Brewery leads to the former St. Nicholas Church site. Free parking is available in this lot. Also, Penn Brewery has given permission to use their parking lot, as well. A golf cart shuttle will be provided by PCHF for physically handicap individuals from the parking lot to the historic site.

Six public art murals commemorating Pittsburgh’s North Side neighborhood have been sandblasted into the retaining wall along the trail, leading to the largest image commemorating St. Nicholas Church. The seating area located to the right of the Church mural includes a crescent shaped wall with an alcove and seating along the bottom portion of the wall. The St. Nicholas cornerstone was saved and is now part of this memorial wall.

In the center of the site, a 5 inch-wide copper, hexagon shape has been incorporated into the ground. The hexagon was inspired by the three, unique onion-dome shaped steeples that once stood so proudly on top of St. Nicholas Church.

In addition, the PA Historic Marker awarded to St. Nicholas Church, N.S. will stand to the right of the wall. The three interpretive panels will be installed on this site. The 3 ft. x 4 ft. panels will stand vertically and include both historic text and beautiful colored photographs. Eight large landscaping stones will add to the wide variety of foliage and will serve as additional seating. Hikers, bikers and walkers are invited and encouraged to take some time to stop, rest and learn more about historic, St. Nicholas Church, N.S., the Grotto and the Mala Jaska neighborhood that filled this stretch of E. Ohio Street for over 100 years.

Once you visit the site, you will agree that the Pa Dept. of Transportation did a marvelous job helping the community and welcoming all visitors to this historic site. As PennDOT Executive Director, Dan Cessna, stated, “All the work is coming together, and we anxiously look forward to opening the road and walkway for many to enjoy for years to come”.

We may have lost our beautiful church after a 14-year fight, but we now have this amazing memorial to share St. Nick’s history with future generations. So plan to join us on Saturday, June 20 at 11 AM to celebrate the new and educational St. Nicholas Church Memorial Site.

Regards,

PCHF Board