Jason Baker Photography

St. Valentine’s Roman Catholic Church, located at 528 South Park Avenue in Buffalo’s Old First Ward, was established in 1920 as a sanctuary for Polish immigrants. Designed by architect George Dietel in a stripped Neoclassical style, the parish served as a cornerstone for the community for decades until it was closed and merged into St. Clare parish in 2007.

The Statue of Liberty, dedicated on October 28, 1886, was a gift from France to the United States to honor the centennial of American independence, celebrate the abolition of slavery, and commemorate the alliance between the two nations. Designed by sculptor Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi with an iron pylon framework by Gustave Eiffel, the 151-foot monument was built in France, shipped in 350 pieces, and reassembled on Bedloe's Island in New York Harbor.

Founded in June 1920 on Detroit's east side, St. Margaret Mary Catholic Parish initially held services in a doctor's office before rapidly building a permanent sanctuary and school. As the surrounding neighborhood demographics shifted in the latter half of the 20th century, the parish faced declining membership and was officially closed by the Archdiocese in 1982.