Two views of the (R.C.) Church of the Visitation.

The parish of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary was founded in 1854 under the leadership of Bishop John Loughlin.  According to the parish's website their first church, built in 1855,  was located at the corner of Verona Street (then Ewen Street) and Van Brunt Street, commissioned by Italian, Irish, and German factory and dockworkers.

The first church proved to be to small for the growing population of Red Hook, attracted to the area by active shipping and manufacturing businesses.  A second church, with room for 1,500 parishioners was begun in 1876 and completed two years later.  Constructed of Connecticut granite and wood at a cost of approximately $180,000, the Church was lost to fire 20 years later. 

The church that now stands at the corner of Richards and Verona Streets, a few yards away from the origina church, was built soon afterwards for the Irish and Italian congregation.  The gothic revival building is constrcted of dark Manhattan schist. 
Its  current pipe organ was built in 1917 by Reuben Midmer & Sons.