Miles Park Methodist Church
The Miles Park Methodist Church, later home to the Pentecostal Determine Church of God, stood as a significant historical edifice at 9105 Miles Park Avenue in the Union-Miles Park neighborhood of Cleveland, Ohio. This church not only witnessed but also participated in the evolution of its community from its establishment through its demise.
Newburgh Township, established in 1814, quickly became a hub for the regional steelmaking industry by 1856, leading to its emergence as the area's largest settlement. The influx of Irish and Welsh immigrants seeking employment in the steel mills marked the early demographic shifts. The neighborhood around East 93rd Street and Union Avenue, known as "Irishtown," became a vibrant enclave of these communities. However, the dynamics changed dramatically following an 1882 strike when Polish and Slovak strikebreakers displaced the original Irish and Welsh populations, altering the community's composition permanently.
The origins of the Miles Park United Methodist congregation trace back to 1832, founded by Lyman Ferris. Initially gathering in a farmhouse, the congregation moved to Newburgh's town hall before acquiring land from Theodore Miles' estate in 1841. This land at Miles Park Avenue and what is now East 91st Street became the site for a new frame church constructed in 1850. As the local steel industry boomed, so did the size of the congregation, necessitating the relocation of the original church in 1872 to make room for a larger, more robust building.
Constructed between 1872 and 1883, the new Miles Park United Methodist Church was designed in the Gothic Revival style. Unfortunately, it lost its 85-foot-high steeple to a fire in 1925. A significant renovation in 1937 altered much of the church's original interior, though it continued to serve its purpose as a community spiritual center. The building was part of the Miles Park Historic District, which was recognized on the National Register of Historic Places in 1974.
The latter half of the 20th century saw the Union-Miles Park neighborhood enter a period of decline, mirroring broader urban challenges like economic downturns and shifting housing patterns. As local industries relocated, job availability decreased, impacting economic stability and leading to demographic and infrastructural changes that challenged the area's vibrancy.
The congregation of the Miles Park Methodist Church disbanded in 1978, and the church structure found new life with the predominantly African-American congregation of the Allen Chapel-Missionary Baptist Church the following year. It later passed into the hands of the Pentecostal Determine Church of God. However, structural issues culminated in a roof failure in 2020, which led the congregation to relocate.
Finally, on March 28, 2024, the now-abandoned building met its end when it was destroyed by a fire. This event marked the close of a significant chapter in the history of 9105 Miles Park Avenue, leaving behind memories of its historical and cultural significance in the Cleveland community.
