Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel

Subject: Fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: katlaughing
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 07:43 PM

This is really sad:

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Fire destroyed Chicago's 116-year-old Pilgrim Baptist Church on Friday, a historic structure that was built as a synagogue and became known as the birthplace of American gospel music.

Towering flames collapsed the peaked wooden roof and brick columns of the 1890 church designed by architects Louis Sullivan and Dankmar Adler.

There were no immediate reports of the cause of the fire or of any injuries, fire department officials said.

"Pilgrim was such an outstanding building with an important history, not only for Chicago but for the country as the birthplace of American gospel," said Tuomi Forrest, associate director of the group Partners for Sacred Places.

The synagogue, initially run by Adler's father, a rabbi, was converted into a church in the 1920s as the Jewish population migrated elsewhere. It became an anchor of the once-thriving Bronzeville neighborhood for Chicago's growing black population.

Thomas A. Dorsey, the son of a Baptist minister and a church organist, became the church's music director, melding blues with sacred hymns into gospel music.

His choir featured such stars as Mahalia Jackson, James Cleveland and Sally Martin. Among Dorsey's many compositions performed at the church were "Take My Hand, Precious Lord."

Many objected to Dorsey's music as overly secular. "I've been thrown out of some of the best churches in America," the widely-regarded father of gospel music once said.

Before the fire, the Partners for Sacred Places had helped raise some money to repair the church, which Forrest said needed nearly $3 million to restore a deteriorating roof, cornices, downspouts and electric system. Water had seeped inside the structure and destroyed molding.


© Reuters 2006. All Rights Reserved.

Subject: RE: Fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 07:49 PM

Now what does Pat Robertson have to say about that?

Subject: RE: Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: GUEST,Anonny Mouse
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 08:12 PM

"Now what does Pat Robertson have to say about that?"

Would you REALLY want to know?-I wouldn't. He's a complete jackass.
A real shame about that church/landmark. Sounds like it was on its way to some restoration too.

Subject: RE: Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: Peace
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 08:14 PM

Bein' in a church doesn't make you religious any more than bein' in a garage makes you a mechanic. The music lives and that's what really matters, IMO.

Subject: RE: Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: GUEST
Date: 06 Jan 06 - 08:15 PM

Irony!
Wasted.

Subject: RE: Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: katlaughing
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 10:59 AM

Well, I for one, thought it was sad to see this venerable place destroyed. I don't give a damn what Robertson or anyone else says. I was hoping some of our members who may know of it would post, but why would they after reading the comments, so far?

Subject: RE: Chicago fire destroys birthplace of Gospel
From: Once Famous
Date: 07 Jan 06 - 10:59 AM

The church's fire was and is the top story in my Chicago right now. The restoration was almost finished and reports are now surfacing that workers on the roof with a blowtorch accidently caused the start of the fire.

It has been said to see a lot of great traditions ending here besides this such as the end of Marshall Field's and now the anounced closing of the Berghoff restaurant.

History too often takes a back seat to progress.