St. Conrad's Young Mens Society
Wilkes-Barre, PA
Highlights from History of Saint Conrads Society
In 1842, Father Henry Fitzsimmons dedicated a wooden German Catholic Church which was erected at 206 South Washington Street, Wilkes Barre, Pa. This church was in use until 1887 when the larger present day Saint Nicholas Church was constructed and dedicated by the Reverened Monsignor Peter Conrad Nagel.
The original wooden church was retained by the parish until 1924 when it was demolished to provide space for the South Street Bridge. It was in this structure in November 1890 that twenty-nine men from the parish founded "St. Konrad's Verein" named in honor of St. Conrad of Bavaria in Southeast Germany, and his namesake Monsignor Peter Conrad Nagel. Years later the Society name was angloized to "St. Conrad's Y.M. Society".
The society and it's members participated in many community projects. Included were a Drum and Bugle Corp, Baseball Team and a Glee Club. Summer Picnics were held at Mountain Park with chartered trains providing transportation. In more recent years, society sports minded members have formed Bowling, Softball and Volleyball teams. Also featured are Golfers, Dart and Pool Shooters and often bus trips to sporting events of professional competition.
Many members saw service and action in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War I and II, Korea and Vietnam. Some of them returned disabled in various ways, some never came back. May God Bless Them All!
With the removal of the old wooden church and the construction of the South Street Bridge in 1924, the Society relocated to the opposite side of the street to it's present location which was originally a three-story appartment building. Considerable expense and effort went into converting the Main Floor into a service area and the Second Floor into a Meeting Hall. In 1964, the Bar and the Kitchen were extensively modernized.
In June 1972...
Ladies Auxiliary History
When the society was seventy years old in 1960...
Saint Conrads Society - Yesterday and Today
The evolution of St. Conrad's from Parish adjunct to seperate society is a specific illustration of the "Americanization" process...
