Church Purchased By Zach Bryan To Become The Jack Kerouac Center
“I looked up at the dark sky and prayed to God for a better break in life… The light of our tent burned on the frightful plain. The cowboy music twanged in the roadhouse and carried across the fields, all sadness. It was all right with me. I kissed my baby and we put out the lights.”
– Jack Kerouac, On The Road
On October 21, 1969, the American poet and novelist Jack Kerouac, who remains one of the most significant figures of the Beat Generation, died at the age of 47.
Three days later, on October 24, 1969, a funeral mass was held for Kerouac, a lifelong Catholic, at Saint Jean Baptiste Church, located in Lowell, Massachusetts. This church was where, decades earlier, Kerouac was an altar boy.
In the years between, Kerouac wrote the 1957 novel On The Road and contributed significant works of poetry, like “Pull My Daisy,” which he co-wrote with Allen Ginsberg and Neal Cassidy in 1949.
Now, the church he once attended, which shuttered its doors to parishioners in 1993, will be committed to the work and legacy of Kerouac, serving as a “cultural hub” in the author’s hometown.
All of this has been made possible by singer-songwriter Zach Bryan, who bought the church for the Jack Kerouac Estate.
Plans For The Jack Kerouac Center
A couple weeks ago, Zach Bryan and the Jack Kerouac Estate shared a series of t-shirts they had made to support the plans for the Jack Kerouac Center.
Prior to their formal partnership, the Jack Kerouac Estate had announced its intention for a center, but COVID-19 and “funding issues” saw the hope for the center come to a standstill.
However, thanks to Zach Bryan’s purchasing of the Saint Jean Baptiste Church, its vision for “a sanctuary for creativity” is renewed.
Listed among those plans for the center’s tentative offerings are, as follows:
- A museum and archive of rare manuscripts, photos, and recordings;
- A live music venue and recording studio;
- Educational spaces for writers and musicians; and
- A gathering place for the community and visiting artists.
The church, which was purchased by Zach in May, cost Zach approximately $3.4 million.
“By repurposing the 20,439 square foot building into a space that fosters creative exploration, Bryan pays tribute to Jack Kerouac’s spirit while carrying forward a legacy they both embody,” a press release said.
Sylvia Cunha, head of Marketing and Business Development for the Jack Kerouac Estate, spoke on Zach’s partnership with them in a press release, stating, “We’ve been working on this deal with Zach and his team for several months. Zach reached out in October, and right from the start, it was clear he shared our passion for honoring Jack’s legacy while also creating a dynamic, creative space.”
Continuing, she said, “He stepped up and delivered in a big way, showing incredible generosity. Our immediate focus is to bring the building up to code so we can start using the space for music and other events while forming new partnerships to help us bring this vision to life and ensure its lasting success.”
Take a look at the architectural plans for the center, here.
See the Zach Bryan and Jack Kerouac shirts available for pre-order, here:
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