Several Polish families of St. Stanislas Kostka's parish [some years ago] built their homes and settled on the Northwest Side of Chicago, about six miles from downtown, on both sides of Milwaukee Avenue, in the district generally known as Avondale. This new settlement, inspired with the deep faith of their ancestors [Roman Catholic], was endangered in its beginnings by a sect of imposters which was also trying to settle in this neighborhood and even built a little house on the grounds now belonging to the parish. This was to serve as an independent church [Polish National Catholic Church].

The late Reverend Vincent Barzynski, a man who was truly a Godsend to all the Polish emigrants in Chicago [Translator's note: Emigrants from the Polish standpoint], without wasting any time bought up the land and this half-born church with funds provided by the Resurrectionist Fathers. So was the work of Satan curtailed and destroyed in the bud. Communication between this new settlement and the mother parish of St. Stanislas Kostka was at that time very 2difficult. The settlement had about ten Polish families.

Disregarding the toil and the sacrifices [which would be required], this small settlement decided to build a church and a school. With this purpose they sent a delegation to the Reverend Vincent Barzynski, asking for his counsel and a priest. Having listened attentively to the proposals and requests of the delegation, after thorough consideration of the difficult and complicated question of where the new church should be built, Father Barzynski advised them to erect the church and the school on the lots owned by the Resurrectionist Fathers at the corner of Milwaukee and Central Park Avenues. This was done. At the end of the year 1894, on Christmas Day, the late Reverend Simon Kobrzynski celebrated the first Mass in the new church. So was founded a new Polish parish under the name of St. Hyacinth, patron of Poland.

The first pastor of the parish was the Reverend John Piechowski, who at first came only on Sundays and holidays to say Mass and perform other spiritual functions. For his residence he requested the house originally built as a 3church by the independents, which was moved and set beside the new church at Milwaukee and Central Park Avenues. After six months as pastor of St. Hyacinth's parish the Reverend John Piechowski was appointed pastor of St. Hedwig's parish, and in his place the Reverend John Gieburowski was sent to St. Hyacinth's. He commissioned the well-known painter, Mr. T. Zukotynski, to paint a picture of St. Hyacinth for the main altar of the church. The parish school was assigned to the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, who still have it under their management. At that time two church societies were also founded, the Society of Angel Guardians of School Children and the Rosary Sodality.

The new pastor, the Reverend Joseph Gieburowski, moved immediately into the new rectory and lived there continuously. His most important task was the final organization of St. Hyacinth's parish. In the previous year the new parish had had an important visitor from Rome in the person of the Reverend P. Smolikowski, general of the Resurrectionist Fathers. In his work as pastor the Reverend Father Gieburowski was aided by an assistant priest, the 4Reverend Theophil Szybkowski. After seventeen months of labor as pastor of St. Hyacinth's Church Father Gieburowski was appointed pastor of St. Hedwig's parish.

In that same year, through the efforts of Brother Adalbert [brother of the Resurrectionist order, a monk but not a priest], the Greater Choir of St. Adalbert was organized. This choir bought a new organ for the church for $400. At that time a new church society was also founded, the St. Barbara Sodality.

In 1896 the late Reverend Eugene Sedlaczek became pastor of the parish. His great task was to set in order the financial administration. It was necessary to make it clear to the parishioners of what nature the financial obligations of the parish were, and to whom it was obligated. The parish had a church, a school, and a rectory, but in reality not the church, nor the school, nor the rectory not even the land occupied by these buildings belonged to the parish because the land had been bought, and the buildings erected, with funds 5provided by the Resurrectionist Fathers. In his work as pastor Father Sedlaczek was assisted by two assistant priests, the late Reverend John Krusznyski and the late Father Dabrowski.

The first parish committee had been appointed by the Reverend Father Sedlaczek on January 1, 1898, and was composed of the following parishioners [Translator's note: Names omitted; unimportant]. It was decided by vote that the parish should assume ownership of the church and have it moved to grounds on which it now stands; [it was later] remodeled and now serves as the parish school. The cost of church, rectory, furnishings, and equipment amounted to $15,693.64, and the lots cost $9,607.63 in addition. At the request of the committee the Reverend Vincent Barzynski agreed to cancel the interest charges, which amounted to $2,750.84.

After two years and three months of labor for the parish, Father Eugene Sedlaczek was transferred to St. John Kantius's parish. He was succeeded by the Reverend Anselm Babski. At the end of the year 1899 the parish debt 6amounted to $19,545.75. Thanks to Brother Adalbert Goralski, the Greater Choir of St. Adalbert bought a beautiful chandelier for the church and organized a library for young people. Pastor Babski was assisted in his parish labors by the Reverend Andrew Spetz.

The most important event in St. Hyacinth's parish in the year 1900 was the removal of the church and the rectory to the grounds which had been acquired by the parish. These buildings were moved by Mr. Albert Orzechowski. Steps were also taken to improve and renovate other buildings belonging to the parish. Church societies and sodalities supplied generous financial assistance. The parish debt at the end of the year amounted to $19,000.

In the year 1901 the parishioners built a new rectory at the cost of $9,352.42, which today, after the necessary additions, serves as the nuns' residence. The building was constructed under the supervision of Mr. Berlin the architect. To help defer the cost of building, Father Babski contributed $325, the St. Adalbert Choir $300, and the St. Hedwig Sodality $25. At that time 288 7families belonged to the parish, and the financial obligations amounted to $26,650. The late Reverend J. Szcaypta was the pastor's assistant. The parish school showed a profit for the first time in its history.

In the year 1903 a new frame building was erected to provide classrooms for the children and to serve as a meeting place for the various church societies of the parish. It was frequently discussed and deliberated in meetings whether a church or a school should be built first. It was decided to erect a large brick building of which one floor could be used as a church, and the rest as [quarters] for the school. The debt was reduced by $5,000 in that year.

The building of the new school was not begun in 1903, since it was necessary to pay off as much of the debt as possible. The parishioners succeeded in reducing their debt by $5,900, leaving $16,000 outstanding. In the same year cement sidewalks and water pipes were laid at a cost of $1,111.76. Fourteen hundred dollars was contributed in a special collection toward the cost of 8future new buildings. There were then 485 families belonging to the parish.

In the year 1905 Archbishop Quigley approved of the plans for the new school and the church. Plans were drawn by Architects Worthman and Steinbach. The estimated cost of the proposed buildings was $65,000, and the old debt amounted to $16,000. The parish numbered 719 families in that year.

In the spring of the year 1906 the foundation was laid for the new school and church. Archbishop Quigley consecrated the building on December 16 of the same year, assisted by a large number of clergymen. Many sodalities and a large congregation [were present at the ceremony]. The parish included 797 families.

In 1907 the old church was remodeled to be used for classrooms and a hall, and George Street was paved; the total expense was $22,130. The parish debt amounted to $72,000. It then numbered 1007 families, there were 892 children 9attending the parish school. In that year the parish debt was reduced by $8,000, leaving $65,000 outstanding. There was also $400 in pledges; the adjacent lot was bought for $800, and $600 was contributed for the Polish Orphans' Home in Niles.

The aim of the late Reverend John Szczypta was to pay off as much of the parish debt as possible and to accumulate funds to build a new church edifice. He succeeded in reducing the debt by $10,000. Paving Wolfram Street cost the parish $1,600.72. The number of families included in the parish was 1403.

In 1910 the parish debt was reduced by $11,000, and $3,000 was paid to the Polish Orphans' Home in Niles.as the share assessed on St. Hyacinth's. A lot was bought of Mr. Kortas for $950. Pledges to the amount of $350 were collected. The parish numbered 1532 families that year.

In 1911 the lost adjoining the church property were bought of Mr. Krystyn for $2,000; $1,000 was contributed to the Polish Orphans' Home in Niles; and the 10debt was reduced by $17,000. The parish numbered 1632 families. In that year a new rectory was built, on which $11,845 was paid. Construction of this building was under the direction of Messrs. Worthman and Steinbach, architects. Paving Lawndale Avenue cost $1,072.27. The debt was reduced by $4,400.

By the order of Archbishop J. E. Quigley, issued June 29, 1912, St. Hyacinth's parish was divided, and a new parish, St. Wenceslas', was created north of Belmont Avenue. The parish school building was given to the new parish as a gift. St. Hyacinth's parish numbered that year 1,724 families.

In 1913 the parish debt was reduced by $9,000, and $13,731.11 was paid on the new rectory. The parish numbered 1628 families.

In 1914 the old rectory building, situated on George Street, was enlarged, remodeled, and converted into a residence for nuns at the cost of $11,366.90.

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The debt of the parish was reduced by $9,800, and the final payment of $2,261.29 on the new rectory was made. In that year Bishop P. Rhode confirmed 535 persons. The parish included 1....98 [families: printing illegible].

In 1915 an iron fence on a cement foundation was built around the parish property at the cost of $3,080.56; the final payment of $3,787.10 was made on the sisters' residence; the parish debt was entirely paid off; and $9,071.50 remained in the treasury for the future church edifice. The Reverend John Szczypta, after serving as pastor of this parish for six years and seven months, was transferred to St. Hedwig's Church, and in his place the Reverend John Zdechlik was appointed.

In 1916 Archbishop [George] Mundelein [German] conducted an apostolic mission in St. Hyacinth's Church, in which 404 persons accepted the Sacrament of confirmation. Lots were bought of Mr. Kusia for $2,732.17, the site of the new church. Architects Worthman and Steinbach drew the plans and specifications.

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The cash on hand for the new church amounted to $32,976.05. In this year a new church service for school children was introduced at nine o'clock in the morning, consisting of Holy Mass and religious instruction. The parish numbered 1946 families and 178 single persons.

On April 30, 1917, Father Zdechlik consecrated the ground for the new church, and the foundations were laid by Mr. Albert Sikorski. On October 21 of the same year Bishop Nawrocki consecrated the cornerstone. The sermon for the occasion was preached by the Reverend Ladislas Zapala, general of the Resurrectionist Order. A further addition to the church property was made by the purchase of lots of Mr. A. Jakubowski for $4,016.47. The initial payment of $45,399.53 was made on the new church. The parish numbered that year 2,088 families and 222 single persons.

In 1918 the walls, the towers, and the first layer of the roof were completed. The bricklaying work was done by Contractor J. Schrambek, and the carpenter work by Contractor T. Madrowski. A further payment of $20,420.16 was made 13toward the cost of the new church. Pledges amounting to $10,000 were received. A loan of $100,000 was taken from the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Milwaukee. The parish numbered that year 2,181 families.

In 1919 the upper layer of the roof of the new church was completed. Further work on the church was stopped because of strikes. In that year $20,834.60 was paid toward the cost of the church, and $6,000 in pledges were collected. The debt of St. Hyacinth's parish amounted then to $100,000. Extra income and collections for the new church amounted to $10,292.55. The parish numbered 2,281 families.

On January 12 the pastor's duties were assumed by the Reverend John Sobieszczyk. In that year the only work done was in the interior of the church. Work on the church progressed, for some unexplainable reason, very slowly. In July Father John Sobieszczyk went to Rome as a delegate of the Resurrectionist Fathers to attend the general meetings of the order. In his absence the duties of pastor were performed by the Reverend Arthur Dabrowski. In that year the 14Society of the Holy Name of Jesus was organized. The income of the parish amounted to $80,690,83, and the regular parish expenses were $45,963,50; toward the cost of the church $72,000.25 was paid. Seventeen nuns taught 1233 children in the parish school.