Parish History - Page 3
Extensive renovations were done before the first Liturgy was celebrated—the altar area and iconostasion (icon screen) were installed on the east, as is traditional in the Orthodox churches, and the former pulpit became a rear balcony. The first Orthodox worship services were held during Easter Week of 1921. (All Orthodox Churches are constructed with the sanctuary on the east because when Christ returns, He is expected to come from the east.)
In 1921 the pews that were part of the Winfield Church purchase were sold back to the Winfield congregation. (Orthodox churches in those days did not use pews.) Another interesting fact is that the original slate roof of the church survived from 1889 until February 15, 1991 when it was removed and replaced, - 102 years later!
In interviews in February 1991 with Mrs. Katherine Kumpuris, age 95, Deno Vlahakis, Mrs. Fotini Vratsinas, Mrs. Helen Helmich, and other older parishioners, all recalled that the large chandelier centered in the church had been ordered from Czechoslovakia by way of Vogiagis Importers, New York, in the early 1920s at a cost of $3,000. The chandelier was lowered to be cleaned and refurbished about 1960 during the tenure of Fr. George Scoulas. Harvill-Byrd Electric Company did the repairs while women of the parish did the cleaning (Katherine Kumpuris, Mary Panos Leyshon, Georgia Polychron, Demetra Vlahakis, Helen Nichols and others). It was insured for $10,000 for this move. At that time Father Scoulas showed the ladies a catalog from Vogiagis Importers which included a photo of our chandelier, captioned that it was located at our Church in Little Rock and was the largest crystal chandelier in an Orthodox Church in the United States. In 1972 the chandelier was lowered by the Charles E. Wooten Company and numerous prisms were replaced, the electric sockets were replaced with a more up-to-date size, and other repairs were made. The chandelier was moved and refurbished one more time in 1984 during relocation to the new church edifice on Napa Valley Drive.
From 1920 to 1958 the parish priests and their families occupied a small apartment in the south-rear of the church building. In 1958 a parish house was purchased at 1868 Izard Street for about $14,500 and donated to the church by Dr. and Mrs. Frank Kumpuris and Mrs. Katherine Kumpuris. After a few years, the home was sold and a larger parish house nearer the church location (at 1816 Spring Street) was purchased and occupied by the parish priest and family until it was sold in 1975 for $14,000 to parishioners, George and Mary Hronas.
Research indicates that from 1921 to 1928, five trustees governed the parish church affairs. From 1929 to 1941, committees of two or three members were in charge ofthe parish administration.
In the early years, most of the Greek Orthodox people lived within walking distance of the church and there was a lot of visiting among the different homes, especially on name days. (All Greek Orthodox communicants are given the name of a Saint of the Church, and this name day is celebrated by the individual and his or her family each year. It is considered of more significance than a birthday.) Delicious homemade Greek sweets, the traditional Greek coffee and cognac were usually served, frequently followed by Greek folk dancing and music on the phonograph. Weddings and baptisms were big religious and social occasions, bringing all the parishioners close together.
Some of the families remembered include the Johnson’s who lived between 13th and 14th on Arch Street and had a café near the present-day Wallace Building. Theo Polychron’s older brother, Louis, had a “Quick Cafe” near the northwest corner of Fifth and Main. Louis also served as cantor at the church for many years. Nick Plastiras arrived in 1912 from Memphis and ran a number of small cafes including the Owl Cafe in the old Hoffman Hotel facing Union Station (a thriving area in those days). Later he had the OK Cafe between 7th and 8th on Main on the west side. During World War I he had a contract with the U. S. Army to supply box lunches for traveling soldiers. Like many of the Greek eateries of that time, he usually had a one-man operation, doing both the cooking and waiter chores. When he was ready to marry, Nick traveled to Chicago where he turned down the first “intended” introduced by relatives, but met and married his chosen one, Anna.
The Poulos family had the old Deluxe Cafe on the eastside of Main Street between 4th and 5th. P.G. Johnson, who had a cafe near 8th and Main, went to Greece with his family for a visit just before World War I broke out, and they were trapped there while Mr. Johnson served in the Greek Army. (Mrs. Johnson was not of Greek extraction and this was an extremely difficult hardship on all of the family. She stood up to it bravely, however, and they returned to Little Rock after the war.)
Other families included the Bakalikos, one of whom served as Psalti (cantor) in the church, while having a cafe on West 4th Street in North Little Rock. The Vorsas Family had a dairy farm outside North Little Rock. Mr. Vorsas delivered milk for many years. His wife was a jolly German lady, a fantastic country cook, who worked the dairy with her husband and raised a large family. Their home was always full of company, we are told. Basil Petimizas (Peters) was a candy maker who had a shop in the Exchange Building between Main and Scott on 5th Street. He and his wife, Eugenia, had a large family also, all sons except for one daughter, Helen (Nichols).
Pelopida Kumpuris had a cleaners and shoe shine parlor next to the Quick Cafe at Fifth and Main. He and his wife Eugenia, lived at 913 Rock Street, where they raised sons James, Harry, Nick and Charles, and daughter, Janie. There they frequently housed the newly arrived young Greek boys and men until they found steady employment. Later, sons James and Charles went into business with their uncle, John Kumpuris, who had the Modern Cleaners and Hatters just south of the Maxwell House Cafe at Markham and Main Streets.
Gus Kumpuris and his wife, Katherine, operated the Maxwell House Cafe at Markham and Main before and during World War II. They lived at 21st and Main Streets and were parents of two sons, Frank and Dennis. (Dennis died of a childhood illness.) The story of Katherine’s voyage to America is an example of the suffering of many immigrants. Her father died just before she was born, and when she was about 16, she embarked to live with relatives in Oklahoma City just before World War I. Unfortunately, besides the passengers, the ship also carried a heavy load of Grecian marble which shifted during a terrible storm at sea, leaving an enormous hole. The captain was barely able to send an S.O.S., the women and children were hastily placed in the lifeboats, and the boat sank in a matter of minutes, taking many lives with it. Luckily a Norwegian freighter heard the S.O.S. and sped as quickly as possible to rescue the survivors. Katherine and the others finally arrived in New York, weeks later, with just the clothes on their backs. A kind Greek man befriended Katherine, taking her home to his family where she was furnished with clothing and funds to continue by train to Oklahoma City. Several years later, when the priest from Little Rock was called to do a funeral in Oklahoma City, Gus traveled with him, and while there met and married Katherine (in a matter of only three days) and brought her to live in Little Rock.
Bill Stathakis reports that there was a Greek-owned saloon on Second and Main Streets where wrestling and weight lifting entertainment took place upstairs. One time the famed Jim Londos, later to become World Champion wrestler, appeared there.
Other old timers from the 1920s and 1930s remembered by some of our senior parishioners were Sam Peters (Sarantos) who sold coffee between 9th and 10th on Main Street; George and Mike Miller (Mullos), Miller’s Cafe between 2nd and 3rd on Main Street; Fotini andJohn Anton who later moved to Hot Springs; Nick Gerontakis who had a restaurant on 9th and Broadway, and Jim Nichols (spouse of Helen Peters Nichols and father of Dr. Nick Nichols) who had a drive-in at 10th and Broadway. In the1920s Jim Nichols and Leo Nichols operated a candy shop on the east side of Main between 5th and 6th where the Main Street Mall is now located. Harry Canelos had the old Arcade Cafe at the corner of 6th and Louisiana, later taken over by his brother, George. Charles Pappas had the old Palace Cafe on Fifth Street between Louisiana and Center Streets.
William Photioo, a graduate of the Little Rock School of Pharmacy, married a niece of Harry Hronas, Johanna Theoharis, when she came to Little Rock to visit the Hronas family. The Photioos moved to Smackover and El Dorado during the oil boom in the 1920s where Mr. William opened a classic pharmacy of that era with a soda fountain. Many years later they returned to live in Little Rock where Mr.William had a tiny neighborhood grocery on East Sixth.
Another early settler was Mr. Paul Michael who once ran the Rainbow Cafe with Nick Panos next to the bus station at Markham and Louisiana during the Great Depression and on into World War II. Theodore Kanakis also operated the Hamburger Heaven on West Third across from the old Franke’s Bakery.
John Vratsinas came from Fort Smith, and he and Nick Avlos had the old Post Office Cafe next to the People’s Bank near Second and Main. John and Eva Papageorge came from Memphis and settled in North Little Rock where he also pursued the restaurant business.
Helen Helmich and her sister, Mary Karrant, have fond memories of Jim Sotos who told them of his long boat passage from Greece. He came to America pretty much with only the clothes on his back, but sympathetic friends on the boat dressed him up as they approached Ellis Island so that he would be more presentable. He donned his first suit and necktie, and said that he did not recognize himself when they brought him a mirror in which to admire their handiwork! Jim became partners with George Kumpuris in a cafe next to the bus station at Markham and Louisiana. Later Jim opened his own cafe which was back-to-back with the eatery owned by his former partner!
Mr. Theo Polychron used to tell of the hard Great Depression years when he (and many other Greek cafe owners, no doubt) fed countless hungry folks at his business. He remembered one man who came in embarrassed and almost starving whom he fed every day for several weeks. Years later that man returned, a successful businessman, and thanked Theo for keeping him alive during that terrible time.
When George Lianos retired in the 1940s, he had a custom which endeared him to parishioners of Annunciation Church. He would note carefully who was missing from Liturgy on Sundays. Beginning the next day, he would go from café – to – café, business – to – business, on foot, all over downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock, carrying a small silver box furnished by the Union Bank (which could only be opened by bank employees) and which he placed firmly in front of the missing parishioner for their Sunday offering! Several times, Gus Kumpuris purchased new shoes for George, in appreciation of his conscientious efforts to support the church.
On March 21, 1941, a general assembly of the Annunciation Church adopted the present administrative system and elected the following men: John Morris, President; Nick Avlos, Vice-President; Nick Panos, Secretary; James Kumpuris, Treasurer; Theo Polychron, Counselor. From 1941 until 1965, the following men served as President of the Church Board: Nick Avlos, Dr. John Stathakis, Theo Stathakis, Frank Binioris, Charles Kumpuris, Theo Polychron, Bill Morris, Jimmy Hronas and James Kumpuris. This system is still in effect only now there are nine (male or female) Board members.
Parish organizations included the Women’s Benevolent Society “Agape” founded in 1941 which later developed into the Ladies Philoptochos Society (Friends of the Poor); the Order of AHEPA (American Hellenic Educational and Progressive Association); the Daughters of Penelope (which was active until the early 1960’s); the Greek Orthodox Youth (GOYA) and Junior Greek Orthodox Youth (JOY).
In about 1945 Father Zikakis organized a fund drive to purchase the first organ for the church which until then had only the cantor to assist the priest in the church services. $3,000 was collected from numerous donors and for the first time, a choir was formed. Other than the cantors already mentioned, Bill Panaras, William Photioo, Gus Pappas, Paul Stathakis, and many others have served in this voluntary position through the years. In 2005, Mary Cantrell and Dr. John Verdaris (the father of Father Nicholas Verdaris) serve as cantors to the parish.
A list of members of the parish in 1949 was found in old records indicating that there were a total of 158 families including 71 in Little Rock, 35 in Hot Springs, 18 in Fort Smith, 20 in Pine Bluff, 8 in Helena, 2 in Camden, 3 in El Dorado and 1 in Malvern. Little Rock members were: Joe Anos, Tom Anton, Nick Avlos, Angelo Bakalikos, Frank Biniores, Mrs. Pete Browko, Spiro Broomas, George Canelos, Nick Kraras, John Curtis, William Photioo, Alex Frank, Nick Gerontakis, James Hronas, Nick Hronas, George Hronas, Harry Hronas (Sr.), Theo Kanakis, George Karaly, Dr. Frank Kumpuris, George Kumpuris, Gus Kumpuris, John Kumpuris, James Kumpuris, Pete Kumpuris, Charles Kumpuris, Pete Lontos, George Lyons, Charles Lord, Paul Michael, George Miller, Bill Morris (Mavraganis),John Morris (Mavraganis), Jim Nichols, Nick Panaras, Bill Panaras, Nick Panos, John Papageorge, Gus Pappas, George Peters, Pete Peters, Gus Peters, William Peters, Nick Plaster, Tom Plaster, Theo Polychron, Sam Chantilis, Mrs. John Seaser, Pete Simon, Jim Sotos, James Sotiropoulos, Angelo Stathakis, Andrew Stathakis, Theo Stathakis, Dr. John Stathakis, Nick Stathakis, GeorgeStathakis, Bill Stathakis, George Vorsams, George Vovos, John Vratsinas, Paul Drake, Mike Scouteris, Chris Rogers, Nick Zack, Deno Vlahakis, Angelo Giannopoulos.
Members from Hot Springs were: George Pakis, Jack Pakis, John Asimos, C. J. Dickson, John Orfanos, Jim Fotioo, George Gabriel, Jim Poulos, Pete Stathakis, Chris Skrivanos, Peter Pappas, Bill Pappas, John Pappas, Angelo Pappas, James Mikes, Angelo Miller, William Houston, Steve Mano, Zack Arapakis, Tony Skrivanos, Theo Skrivanos, Steve Gabriel, George Papoulias, N. J. Elfter, Angelo Kollianos, John Koutsoukos, Pete Karelas, Gus Demopoulos, George Leopolos, Antonio Markles, George Basilopoulos, Aristithis Mouradoglou, Dr. George Fotiou, George Maryhall and Sam Stathakis.
Fort Smith members were: Steve Soteropoulos, J. Zouzos, Sam Karrant, George Catsavis, James Karrant, John Karrant, George Kouropis, NickSakis, Theo Avlos, Angelo Batunis, Sam Poulos, George Bontalas, Jim Mitrogiannis, Tony Zuzos, Andy Tzozos, John Lolemsis and Steve Karrant.
Pine Bluff members were: Mrs. Andrew Makris, Peter Makris, Andrew Pappas, Gus Pappas, George Zack, Peter Zack, Immanuel Giannas, Paul Paschal, Tom Paschal, Chris Paschal, Jim Batsos, Gus Carras, Steve Demetre, Alec Frankoulis, John Carras, Tom Priakos, George Makris, N. Carras, P. Theodorou, John Cora and Victor Caragianis.
From Helena: Nick Harris, Charlie Neth, Chris Carageorge, Tom Nick, Jim Broomas, George Andrews, Paul Garootals, Victor C. Freeman. From Camden: James Andritsos, Sam Peters. From ElDorado: Mike Kumpuris, George Kassos and Paul Bratsos. From Malvern: Pete Harris.
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