East Meadow's Historic Churches

Religious organizations have played an important part in the social history of East Meadow since its earliest days as a rural community. A simple look at newspapers from the 19th century through the present will show a strong tradition of local involvement with houses of worship and, in turn, a desire of those houses of worship to provide services and support for the community that far exceed issues of a religious nature.

Historically, the oldest church in East Meadow is the frame structure on East Meadow Avenue. This building, originally the Methodist Episcopal Church, now houses a newer congregation. The Methodist Episcopal Church was the largest and most influential religious organization in the United States throughout the late 1700s through the early 1900s. The East Meadow congregation was organized in 1857 by Peter Lewis, David Sprague, John S. Smith, Joseph Smith and Parmonus Post. The following year, the Noon Family, of the East Meadow Hotel, donated a plot of land and the building was constructed. The original church was replaced with the present structure, built in 1897. It moved to its present location, its parsonage property, across the street in 1953. An annex was built six years later.

Nearby, the St. Francis Polish National Catholic Church was built on Harton Avenue in 1932. Fr. Bernard Bobek was the first priest, and services were conducted in Polish. This area of East Meadow had recently seen an uptick in its Eastern European population and Polish was a common first language of many residents.

One of those residents, Rose Gniewek, organized a Women's Society. Gniewek owned a business around the corner on current-day East Meadow Avenue. The Baby Boom era brought more congregants; a new altar was constructed in 1956 and a rectory was built one year later. A sizable Polish school operated out of St. Francis Church.

Another local church grounded in its immigrant roots is the Holy Trinity Orthodox Church on Green Avenue. Worship services in the Koshansky home began in 1918 with Priest Maxim Dzemba. Established in 1924 as the Holy Annunciation Church, it was the earliest Orthodox Christian Church on Long Island. The first pastor was Priest John Zawojski and the original frame structure was located behind the current building. Growth during the Baby Boom necessitated the construction of its present building beginning in 1961 with additions through the 1970s. The church is notable for its architecture and artwork.

St. Raphael Parish of the Roman Catholic Church was founded in 1941. The building was originally located at Newbridge Road and Pendroy Street with Fr. Charles Sullivan as the first priest. Church services were held in the rectory and an old farmhouse before an old frame church was moved from East Williston to the property in 1942. As the population boomed after World War II, St. Raphael's grew under Fr. Paul Connolly. A modern church was built by 1953 on a new property across the street. The new church site included a large elementary school, which served the parish until 1992. In 2004, a new, larger church was built nearby and the midcentury structure was later demolished.

© Scott Eckers

Dr. Scott Eckers is the author of East Meadow in Arcadia Publishing's Images of America series. He serves on the East Meadow Board of Education. Scott is also an entertainer and recording artist.