Built of Toronto brick and Bedford limestone, this Romanesque Style church was the first Catholic congregation established along this stretch of South Michigan Avenue. At the time of its construction, the St. Anselm parish catered predominantly to Washington Park’s Irish community, though demographic shifts in the neighborhood led to the church becoming a thriving Black parish by the mid-1930s. The well-cared-for historic building is awash in architectural ornaments, including original chandeliers, Stations of the Cross, alters decorated with inlaid shamrocks, and stained glass created by F.X. Zettler of Munich, Germany.
