The Know-Nothing political party’s (1852-1860) objective was to prevent immigrants and Roman Catholics from holding political office. They also opposed the Catholic Church. It was a secret organization that attained its name from the response of members, who, upon questioning about the party, responded, "I know nothing." In the mid-fifties it elected governors and legislatures in New York state and four other New England states, however its collapse and ultimate demise came when it refused, in the 1856 presidential election, to take a stand on slavery.

Following the destruction of the Catholic church, a new black church, The Mount Vernon Baptist Church, was erected on the site and remained there until 1912 (pictured above). The Catholic church ‘moved’ to the corner of Main Avenue and Water Street in 1858.

Hitchcock tells us that in 1913, "The Mount Vernon Baptist Church, African, is now in the process of building at the corner of Park and Linden Streets in the northwestern part of the city. The structure is built of cement at a cost of $3,000 and is modern in all of its appointments, making a splendid church home for its sixty-five members. The Rev. Hathcock [Haithcock] is the present pastor. The congregation worshipped for many years at the corner of South and West Avenues in a little frame church on property bequeathed by Charles Starrett. The town council bought the lot last year for $1,800 and it has been selected for the new armory (now the Monarch Community Center) to be built by the state this year of 1913. James Humphrey indicates that the council sessions to discuss the purchase of the property were actually held within the old church.