In 1894, the church, named for St Nicholas the Traveler, was founded as the first Croatian Roman Catholic parish in North America. At the time the area was Allegheny City, but is now part of Pittsburgh. In 1901 this church was built and another St. Nicholas parish was established in Millvale. When highway construction threatened the church in 1920, members jacked the church up and moved it back 20 feet. The two Nicholas parishes were brought together in 1994 to form a single St. Nicholas Parish with two Nicholas churches, both used for worship. The historic North Side church was closed in 2004 and demolished in 2013, making way for Route 28 to be widened. The site is now the St. Nicholas Historic Site with interpretive boards, a new statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, seating area, marker, and a brass ring where the church sanctuary had stood.
