St. Patrick’s Day is nearing, and our local church community has a personal connection to the saint, as he is the namesake for the Catholic church in Long Eddy.

Prior to the church’s construction, Long Eddy’s church community gathered for mass in a nearby private home. Once it was decided that a designated church building needed to be built, the congregation collected funds for the construction. The first mass was held on Christmas in 1903 before the building was finished. The congregation sat on wooden planks resting on kegs of nails because the pews had not yet been built.

However, located on a steep hill where the Long Eddy Post Office is now situated, St. Patrick’s Church had poor accessibility. So, in 1930, the building was placed on timbers and moved to its current location on Church Street, where weekly mass is still held today.

The Basket Historical Society preserves and presents the history of the Upper Delaware area. If you are interested in becoming a member or finding out more, contact baskethistsociety@gmail.com.