17th Street Mission
Short History of The 17th Street Mission
by Rob Vaughan, Class of 2014
The 17th
Street Mission began in 1911 when three Union Theological Seminary students rented an abandoned
Baptist chapel on the 1100 block of North 17th Street, near the
heart of one of the poorest neighborhoods in the city, in order to offer Sunday
school classes to neighborhood children.
The mission program was modeled on a similar initiative in Louisville,
Kentucky, which began operations, circa 1899.
The program proved wildly popular, and by 1913, the Mission had more than
850 students. Although
the Mission was established by UTS students, it quickly established support in
the larger community, and began to receive support from the Presbyterian
League, which was established to unify several Richmond
Presbyterian congregations’ efforts in local mission. In addition to financial support, members of
these congregations also participated in the witness of the Mission by serving
as teachers. Students from Virginia
Union University were also active in the life of the Mission, but the Mission
may have best come to be defined by the efforts of ATS students after that
institution’s founding in 1914.
In 1919, the Presbyterian League was able to purchase two plots of land across the street from the rented chapel, and they completed construction on a new building for the Mission at 1111 North 17th Street in 1921. This building would continue to house the Mission until 1963.
Unfortunately, the 17th Street Mission was not spared the effects of the Great Depression. Through the early years, in addition to the support of the Presbyterian League, the Mission was supported at the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly levels. As the Depression progressed, support from all sources shrank, and the Virginia Synod discontinued support in 1932, followed by the Presbyterian League in 1934. Despite this loss of support, the Mission continued to persevere, cooperating with and supporting the efforts of other churches in the neighborhood.
In 1939, the idea of reorganizing the Mission into a congregation began to circulate, though it would take more than 10 years for those plans to become a reality. These discussions began both as a response to the decreasing financial support for the Mission and out of recognition that many in the 17th Street neighborhood were hesitant to become members of a white congregation. Initially, Third Presbyterian Church took in Mission participants, though eventually church membership of Mission participants came to be lodged in First Presbyterian Church, although given the distance, that membership was in name only.
In 1946, Elinor Curry, an alumna of ATS became the Superintendent for the 17th Street Mission. She would prove to be both the longest-serving and final Superintendent. Through her efforts, the neighborhood finally saw the organization of Eastminster Presbyterian Church by Hanover Presbytery in 1952. In 1963, the Mission became temporarily dormant following the destruction of the 17th Street neighborhood by the city. Many neighborhood residents moved into nearby public housing, and, in 1966, with the completion of the Eastminster Presbyterian Church building, the Mission was able to follow and resume serving the community. This transition in space was not, however, the greatest transformation the Mission would undertake in that tumultuous decade. In 1969, Elinor Curry retired and transferred the responsibilities and services of the Mission to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, which continues to serve the community today.
In 1919, the Presbyterian League was able to purchase two plots of land across the street from the rented chapel, and they completed construction on a new building for the Mission at 1111 North 17th Street in 1921. This building would continue to house the Mission until 1963.
Unfortunately, the 17th Street Mission was not spared the effects of the Great Depression. Through the early years, in addition to the support of the Presbyterian League, the Mission was supported at the Presbytery, Synod, and General Assembly levels. As the Depression progressed, support from all sources shrank, and the Virginia Synod discontinued support in 1932, followed by the Presbyterian League in 1934. Despite this loss of support, the Mission continued to persevere, cooperating with and supporting the efforts of other churches in the neighborhood.
In 1939, the idea of reorganizing the Mission into a congregation began to circulate, though it would take more than 10 years for those plans to become a reality. These discussions began both as a response to the decreasing financial support for the Mission and out of recognition that many in the 17th Street neighborhood were hesitant to become members of a white congregation. Initially, Third Presbyterian Church took in Mission participants, though eventually church membership of Mission participants came to be lodged in First Presbyterian Church, although given the distance, that membership was in name only.
In 1946, Elinor Curry, an alumna of ATS became the Superintendent for the 17th Street Mission. She would prove to be both the longest-serving and final Superintendent. Through her efforts, the neighborhood finally saw the organization of Eastminster Presbyterian Church by Hanover Presbytery in 1952. In 1963, the Mission became temporarily dormant following the destruction of the 17th Street neighborhood by the city. Many neighborhood residents moved into nearby public housing, and, in 1966, with the completion of the Eastminster Presbyterian Church building, the Mission was able to follow and resume serving the community. This transition in space was not, however, the greatest transformation the Mission would undertake in that tumultuous decade. In 1969, Elinor Curry retired and transferred the responsibilities and services of the Mission to Eastminster Presbyterian Church, which continues to serve the community today.
