Jun 14, 2011 By Patty Yauger 3 min read

?CONNELLSVILLE — Several of the city’s historic landmarks will be a part of the Fayette County Healthy Lifestyles Task Force 2011 walking tour kick off that begins at 6:30?p.m. Wednesday.

Michael Edwards, Fayette County Cultural Trust president, will lead participants on a walking tour of three churches located on the city’s west side, including St. Rita’s Roman Catholic Church, Payne AME and St. John the Evangelist R.C. Church.

“There will be a representative at each church to share its heritage,” said Edwards. “This is a great opportunity to get outdoors and learn about Connellsville’s rich history.”

Participants will gather in the St. John’s parking lot, located at the intersection of West Crawford Avenue and Eighth Street.

According to church history, Connellsville’s coke production spurred work-seeking immigrants from the Spis and Saris province of Slovakia to travel to the region.

In November 1891, a two-man delegation armed with a petition went to Pittsburgh seeking permission to establish a Slovak Parish.

The bishop advised them to take a census of the people and report their findings. If warranted and a Slovak priest available, the congregation could proceed to build a church.

According to church history, four years later, a church was established with other ethnic groups joining the Slovak congregation.

Later, the Poles, Italians and Hungarians organized and established their own parishes and built churches.

The first church was located on North 7th Street, but soon became too small to accommodate its members. A new church was built at its present location in 1899 at a cost of $14,000.

St. Rita’s, located at 116 Second St., traces its roots to the Our Lady of Mount Carmel, which was located on Banning Street.

When its leader, the Rev. C.E. Feniello, lost his life in a 1903 train crash, the church, while only a year in existence, was unable to continue despite efforts by others. It was auctioned off in 1912.

In December 1914, Father Enrico DeVivo came to Connellsville during a missionary trek through the area. The visit subsequently resulted in the founding of St. Rita’s.

Although unfinished at its present location, parishioners celebrated their first mass on Christmas morning 1915.

Richard Allen and others are credited with the founding of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, according to historical documents.

Locally, when Col. William Crawford, Isaac Meason and others settled in the region, they brought with them their African servants and slaves. After 1810, the servants and slaves began holding their own religious services at various locations in the New Haven area and in 1859 petitioned the Connellsville School Board to permit them to hold meetings for Christian worship in the Pinnacle school house.

The local African Methodist Episcopal Church congregation formed in 1878 and met at Mathoiot’s hall in New Haven.

A few years later, property between Sixth and Seventh streets was purchased from George A. Markle and a one-story frame building was constructed and still stands today.

The name Payne Chapel was given it in memory of Bishop D.A. Payne and dedicated in 1884.

For more information, visit the task force website at www.stepstoahealthierfayettecounty.org.