Union chrétienne de jeunes gens de New York.

The French branch of the YMCA in New York City was established in 1889. However, its roots went back to 1882, when some members of the l'Église Évangélique Française de New York on West 16th Street formed the Union Chrétienne. The effort to establish YMCA branches targeted at specific language groups was spearheaded by James Stokes, a long time benefactor of the YMCA and an advocate of strengthening the links between the American YMCA and associations abroad. Funding was secured to send the first French-speaking secretary to Springfield College for training. Although there were several other YMCA branches targeting French-speaking young men in the U.S., the New York City branch, known as Union Chrétienne de Jeunes Gens de New York, was the only really successful YMCA effort directed at the French-speaking population.

The branch had several locations during its years of operation. An early location was 128 West 23rd Street. 112 and 114 West 21st Street, near Sixth Avenue, was the branch's home during the late 1890s. By 1902 the branch was housed at 49 West 24th Street. By 1905 the branch location was 109 West 54th Street, where it remained until the branch closed in 1929.

The branch offered fencing, bowling, French and English classes, lectures, a library, a literary society, Bible study clases, billiards, and employment bureau and other events and activities. Members could rent rooms, eat in the restaurant and obtain medical consultations. Ladies were often admitted to events and classes. The branch also operated a program for young teens, called Section Cadette, for boys ages 10 to 16. One of the stated reasons for the formation of the group was to help French-speaking young men in New York City preserve their language abilities.

The branch closed in the fall of 1929. This occurred due to the condition of the building, which had become "greatly deteriorated", and because changes in U.S. immigration laws in the 1920s reduced the number of French-speaking young men in the city. The New York YMCA determined that the building should be sold and the work incorporated into an International Branch.

(Information taken from the collection)

From the guide to the Union Chrétienne de Jeunes Gens de New York (French Branch YMCA) records., 1889-1929., (University of Minnesota. Kautz Family YMCA Archives. [ymca])