The Liverpool Salvation Army

Liverpool Salvation Army on Court Street

The Salvation Army has been in the Liverpool area for over 100 years but it wasn't always where it is located today. The first location, that I know of, was on the corner Court Street and Church Street, where the home of Stella Wharton (now owned by Kathryn Killam) is located. Sometime in the 1920's it moved to the Main Street location. Anyone around my age (40s) would remember the old Salvation Army building. I went there as a kid until I was about 13 and my mom went there too when she was young. It was located on the same property as present one, only it was out closer to the street in the corner of the land at Main and Summer Streets. Next to the building was a gravel parking lot used by workers at the Liverpool IGA which was across the street. There had actually been a house where this parking lot was. Way back when, long before my time, this house was the home of a Mr John Johnson, a scottish guy who had a small building next door where he operated a tailoring business. That little shop was taken down and a larger building was erected. It was a store for a short time owned by J. C. Inness (have a picture here somewhere) but later became the new home of the Salvation Army and the Johnson house was the residence of the Salvation Army minister. The house was demolished in 1965 and when I went to the Salvation Army the minister lived upstairs in the Army building. The old building was showing it's age when I attended - don't think it had much for insulation, seemed pretty cool in there some days but the place would be jam packed every weekend. Who could ever forget the familiar faces there like Thelma Thorburne, Marguerite Farmer, Betty Whynott, Hilda

Minister's residence & Salvation Army on Main Street

Parnell,  and most popular of all was Grace Thorburne. As ministers would come and go, Grace was the familiar face of the Liverpool Salvation Army. She worked hard for that place and always encouraged the young kids to attend. Things got so busy during the years that I attended, that they purchased a school bus to pick everyone up. Harold Eisnor was the driver and the fun of being on the bus just added to the fun of going to church. Garland Foote and  Eric Deveau were ministers there when I attended and it was sad to see when both families left to go to a new location. Eric Deveau played the bango and myself and my cousin Viv played guitar every Sunday. We held rock-a-thons to raise money, we had a youth group, the women had their women's prayer group plus the Sunday afternoon and evening services - it was a busy place. In May 1991, the old Salvation Army was demolished and a new building constructed and is still in use today.

Salvation Army at the corner of Main & Summer Streets

Demolition of the Liverpool Salvation Army 1991

Building the new Liverpool Salvation Army

Inside the old Salvation Army - demolished in 1991.

Found it - JC Inness Store later the Salvation Army

The New Liverpool Salvation Army