South End (Waterbury)

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The South End is a neighborhood/section of the city of Waterbury. It lies southeast of I-84, just south of the downtown district. The section has its own schools, parks and commercial facilities. As it is with other sections/neighborhoods in Waterbury, its distinctive character, shaped by the history and geography of the city, has led residents to form an unusual loyalty to their neighborhood.

The South End was home to some of the city’s most densely occupied housing and one of the most diverse mixtures of immigrant traditions. The South End was largely the home of Waterbury's French-Canadian immigrants. The neighborhood erected St. Anne's Church, one of Waterbury's largest churches and one of Connecticut's only French-Canadian speaking congregations. The area also contains a large Latin American community which embraces their identity of the South End.

Population

The South End makes up roughly 43,721 of Waterbury's 110,189 population. Of that number, 21,224 are males and 22,497 are female. There are approximately 17,173 homes in the South End.^[1]

The South End has had its fair share of economic downfalls. Blighted buildings and abandoned factories make up a significant portion of the once self-sustaining neighborhood. There is hope as numerous community development and work force teams have set up offices in the South End to turn around decades of distress and hardships.

The section is home to a number of smaller, urban community schools mixing public and private. There are initiatives in the neighborhood to revamp the area's school system with new facilities built on existing lands.

The French Catholic community of Waterbury first met at the old Universalist Trinity chapel on Grand Street.^[2] In April 1886 Bishop Lawrence S. McMahon, appointed Father Joseph W. Fones of Watertown to organize a parish. About two weeks later Father Fones first celebrated Mass at the Grand Street hall for the French congregation. Mostly French Canadian immigrants from Quebec, they chose St. Anne as the patroness of the parish.^[3] The parish’s first church was built in 1888-1889 on Dover Street and dedicated on January 27, 1889.

By 1895, Father Joseph E. Bourret replaced the original school opened in September 1890 in the church basement with a red brick school on Dover Street. It was staffed by the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame. After 102 years of service, the parish school closed its doors in 1992.^[3]

Construction of a larger church building on South Main St. began in 1906. By 1910 the basement was completed and the parish began to use it for services. completion was delayed for a time to accumulate the necessary funds and also due to the First World War.^[4] According to Ruth Glasser, curator of the "In the Shadow of St. Anne's" exhibit at the Mattatuck Museum, "This church was literally built on the nickels and dimes of its congregation."^[5] The finished church was dedicated on December 17, 1922, dedicated by Bishop John J. Nilan, of the Diocese of Hartford.

Designed by Boston architects Chickering & O'Connell in French Gothic revival style. It was built by the Granite Construction Company of Fall River, Massachusetts. The structure is steel, overlaid with brick and faced in stone. The base is granite, with the stone above Vermont blue marble. The church has two 100-foot-tall spires, a rose window over the entrance and a copper-topped dome above the altar.

Master restorer John Canning noted that the church has a very sophisticated feminine scheme, befitting the patron of the church.^[4]

41°33′50″N 73°00′23″W / 41.563783°N 73.006362°W / 41.563783; -73.006362