photographs of abandoned places #43

 Willson Avenue Temple

9 June 2019 Friendship Baptist

Cleveland renamed streets in 1906, it was organised by increased, ordered numbering.  Willson Avenue became East 55th. Cleveland's second Jewish congregation, Tifereth Israel, finished a new building on Willson Avenue in 1894. Previously they were further downtown on Huron. In 1924 they moved to a beautiful new temple on Ansel & E. 105. Later they moved to an eastern suburb. This constant movement eastward was done by many Jewish congregations. Some of these buildings were great, but they were transitory. This one is the oldest extant Jewish worship building in Cleveland.

Willson Avenue Temple was sold to Mount Zion Congregational in 1924, they then also moved eastward. Friendship Baptist (not the only one in Cleveland) of National Baptist Convention U.S.A. bought the old temple in 1940. That congregation had filled the building, but a few years ago they were down to a few dozen people. In 2014 they were between pastors, and someone stole the outside copper wiring. For a time, the outside sign advertised a centennial celebration for 25 November 2018. I don't know when they had their last service, but guessing from a sign, they were absorbed by Mt. Sinai Baptist.

12 August 2023 Some weeding had been done for a few years, it has pretty much stopped.

That tree may have been growing there from last century.

nests at the bottom of the windows, and resurgent ivy

Those robes have been there since closing. Those bars have been there for some time. The side entrance for the offices is on Central, across the street is the now closed East High. The sanctuary entrance is on East 55th, and housing projects are across that street.