A charming old fieldstone church is located along M-32, nestled between East Jordan and US-131. Constructed in 1890 by Bohemian immigrants, it was dedicated to Saint John Nepomucene, the patron saint of Czechoslovakia. Bohemia is a significant region in Czechoslovakia, and many of the early settlers in this northern Michigan area hailed from Prague. They named their new home Praga or Praha, reflecting the dual names of the city.

After establishing their homesteads, numerous farmers received land grants from the federal government. A post office was set up in 1876, adopting the name Praha. However, the town’s population remained small, leading to the post office’s closure just a few years later.

Despite the post office shutting down and the town not evolving into a bustling community, the settlers persevered and built their church in 1890. In 1926, the church’s exterior was adorned with fieldstone, likely sourced from local farmers who gathered stones from their fields to shield the building from Michigan’s harsh weather. Today, the church remains a part of the Catholic Dioceses of Gaylord and is a stunning site for photography throughout the year.

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The beautiful an historic stone church of St. Joseph’s Shrine stands along US-12 in the Irish Hills next to Iron Lake. The church was constructed in 1854 by Irish pioneers. Next to the church are 14 stations of the cross that depict scenes of Jesus’ walk to Calvary.

It was created in 1932 by two Mexican artisans, Dionicio Rodriguez and Ralph Corona. They sculpted steps, archways and railings from wet cement to resemble stone and timber. The crucifixion scene is sculpted from Carrara marble. The footpath begins at a replica of Pontius Pilates’s palace then winds past balconied houses, through the judgment gate and ends at Christ’s tomb.

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The Our Lady of the Woods Shrine at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Mio was constructed by Rev. Hubert Rakowski between 1953 and 1955 with the support of the local community. The sacred place has statues of four apparitions of Mary, They are the Lourdes, Fatima, Guadalupe, and LaSalette.

The mountainous structure made of stone includes several grottos and niches. The grounds are open year round and the landscaping in the summer is breathtaking. The shrine welcomes visitors of all faiths and if you are ever in the area I highly recommend stopping to see this beautiful place in northern Michigan.

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A few years ago I was out roaming Mid-Michigan looking at and photographing Christmas lights, at the time I had never been to Corunna, but when I saw this old village illuminated at night, I had to stop and take a pic. It was not that late at night, but it was eerily vacant and peaceful and also extremely cold that night, I froze my butt off taking this pic that silent night in Corunna. But it was worth it.

The church in the center of the village is the Christ Evangelical German Lutheran Church that was located in Brady Township in Saginaw County. It was built in 1888 and was moved to the village in 1991.

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The Kirk In The Hills stands near Island Lake in Bloomfield Township. Colonel Edwin S. George, a Detroit businessman whose gift of his home and estate in 1947 made the Kirk possible.  The cornerstone for the church was laid in 1951, the same year Colonel George died. His remains are entombed under the narthex of the Kirk’s sanctuary. The architectural firm of George D. Mason completed the church based on preliminary designs by Wirt Rowland. George Mason designed several of Michigan’s iconic buildings including the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island. The Kirk in the Hills is modeled after Scotland’s Melrose Abbey. It was almost a decade before services could be held in the church. During construction a fire destroyed the roof and delayed completion of the church. The first service was held in November of 1958.

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