23 Church Street/Organized: 1916

The Saint Nicholas Greek Orthodox church occupies a unique place in Enfield.  It is not only be sold Greek church in town, but its parish also includes East Windsor, telling 10, Rockville, Summers, Stafford Springs, Suffield, Bernard, Windsor locks, and Windsor.

Although there were Greeks in Enfield prior to 1900, it was this time that many of them were brought into town by the "Company agents" of the Hartford Carpet Co. to work in the carpet mills.  As any local or newly congregate people would naturally like to do, there are anxious to keep their old ways and traditions intact.  no local church met their needs in the language barrier was forbidding.  At the first Greek Orthodox faithful attended church in Springfield.  In the case of a wedding or baptism the pastor of the Springfield church came to town and the sacrament was performed in home.  one Pioneer remembers that a group went to Springfield by trolley to attend the Anastasis (Resurrection Service) and then it took them to and half hours to walk back because there was no public transportation after midnight.

As more Greek people arrived in town, it became apparent that a church must be provided.  A concerted effort was launched in the sites were viewed on Pleasant Street and church Street, but to no avail.  It was then mind that the old Orpheum Theater on the present church site was to be sold.  A purchase price of $4300 was agreed-upon, including all furnishings, and the necessary renovations started.  In December, 1917, only nine months after the certificate organization was off arise, the "church" opened for worship.  Descended about 17 years of frustration and searching.  For much of the 17 years the services were held in the Emmet Hall at the corner of Pearl and High Streets.  The name St. Nicholas was chosen because many members came from Koniska, Greece, and a patron saint of Koniska was St. Nicholas.

Emmett Hall again served as a temporary sanctuary wall par it plans were assembled to rebuild.  Plans were submitted at no cost by a Springfield architect who also agreed to supervise the building free of charge.  Almost two years went by before the present building was completed an opened on Oct. 25, 1926.  It would no longer be necessary to conduct committee meetings in a bakery, coffee house, candy store, grocery store, or barber shop.  The new building with a church proper on a main floor in all the basement met their needs for a place of worship and a place for meetings and socials.