Churches Archives - Lost In Michigan

St. Wenceslaus Church

Posted on June 21, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

The historic St. Wenceslaus Church stands quietly among the orchards in the Leelanau Peninsula. The historical marker next to it shares some history and reads:

In the 1860s and 1870s settlers from Bohemia (now part of Czechoslovakia) came to this area and worked at the Leland Lake Superior Iron Foundry and the Gill sawmill. Catholics attended mass at the Holy Trinity Church in Leland until the church burned in 1880. In 1890 the first St. Wenceslaus Church was built and the cemetery was established. Ornate metal grave markers reflect the Bohemian heritage, as do the names Bourda, Houdek, Hula, Jelinek, Kalchick, Kirt, Kolarik, Korson, Kovarik, Maresh, Novotny, Reicha and Sedlacek, which appear in the cemetery. The church membership doubled by 1908. In 1914 volunteers hauled bricks and other materials to this site and built the present church. This Late Gothic Revival church was completed during that year.

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The Stone Church in the Thumb

Posted on June 7, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Thumb .

If you have followed my posts for a while you know I am a sucker for old stone buildings. They have a natural feel to them being constructed from local stones and they seem like they would stand for a long time as stones don’t really decay like wood or other modern materials.

I saw this old stone church in Croswell that even had a historical marker standing in front of it. The marker reads:

This picturesque cobblestone building constructed in 1898 serves as the Croswell chapel of the Trinity Episcopal Church. Its interior features wooden arches and a rood screen between the nave and the chancel. This structure formerly called Christ Church replaced the county’s first Episcopal church building erected nearby in 1870. Among the prominent citizens attending and supporting the present church were the families of lumber barons Wildman Mills, Truman Moss, and Joseph Gaige.

The old historic church is now used as the Croswell Community Center.

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The Forgotten Church

Posted on April 26, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Forgotten Places .

I was traveling through the southwestern the town of Watervliet and I saw this old church across a park near the center of town. I don’t know anything about it but I thought it was a pretty little brick church. It looks like it has been a while since it has held a baptism, a wedding, or even an Easter Service.

I hope you are doing well. I am looking forward to being able to travel again, but for now, I have been posting photos from my archive.

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The Little Stone Church on the Island

Posted on April 19, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

This beautiful and historic stone church sits on Mackinac Island not far from the Grand Hotel. the historical marker next to it reads:

The Union Congregational Church, affectionately called Little Stone Church, was established in 1900 by eleven charter members. Local residents and summer visitors donated funds for its construction. The cornerstone was laid on August 2, 1904. This structure was built of Mackinac Island stones in an eclectic Gothic style. Its handsome stained glass windows, installed in 1914, tell the story of the Protestant movement on the Island. Open only during the summer, this church has been a landmark to visitors and a popular wedding site.

since it was open to visitors it got a chance to get some photos of the beautiful stained glass while I was there.

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Michigan’s Cross Near the Lake

Posted on April 12, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

French Missionary Priest Father Jacques Marquette came to the Great Lakes in 1668 and started a mission that became the town of Sault Ste. Marie. In the Lower Peninsula, he erected a cross on a bluff overlooking Lake Michigan. The Native Americans referred to the area as “The Land Of The Cross” and it became what is now Cross Village. A white cross still stands there today overlooking Lake Michigan.

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The Magnificent Church in Ypsilanti

Posted on April 5, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

While traveling around the state I see several beautiful old churches and this one in Ypsilanti stood out to me. The twin steeples stand proudly over the city on the First Presbyterian Church. The historical marker on the front reads:

Originally built in 1857 with a single, central spire, the First Presbyterian Church was greatly enlarged and rededicated in 1899. Detroit architect Julius Hess redesigned the church, using the original sanctuary walls, and added a columned entrance portal and twin towers. The cupola-topped towers are reminiscent of English Baroque churches, yet the interior and overall design reflect Renaissance architecture. The rose window was made by Tiffany & Co. of New York.

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Saint Patrick’s in Palms

Posted on March 15, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Thumb .

I saw this beautiful little brick church in the small almost forgotten town of Palms in the Thumb. I figured since it is the middle of March this is the perfect time to post a pic of this old church since its name is St Patrick’s. You can read more about the town of Palms in my post HERE

A reminder that my presentation in Kalamazoo has been canceled. We plan to reschedule it but I am not sure when.

And one last thing. This will probably be the only mention of the virus that we are all affected by and talking about. I plan to keep posting like I always have and avoiding talking about current topics such as politics or current events. I figure there are plenty of places to go if you want to see that kind of stuff. It’s not that I am not aware or concerned about it I just figure there is a time and a place for it. I am thinking you signed up for emails from me about places around Michigan and that is what I am gonna keep doing.

Thank you for taking the time to read my posts and I have lots more pics and stories to post that I hope you will enjoy reading.

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Huron City Church

Posted on March 1, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

Near the tip of the thumb along the Lake Huron shoreline is the historic town of Huron City. No one lives in the former town but it is not a ghost town. It has been converted into a museum consisting of several historic buildings. One of them is this historic church that served as the methodist church for the town since it was built in 1882.

The windows are covered up for the winter, I guess I will have to go back and visit in the summer. you can find out more about the historic village on their website HERE.

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Stone Church In The Snow

Posted on February 23, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

I saw this old stone church north of Hubbard Lake. I don’t know anything about it other than it looks as if it has been a while since a service was held inside.

I figure this is a good time for me just to say thank you for taking the time from your busy day to read my posts. I hope you enjoy getting them in your email every day.

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The Forgotten Town and the Church

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, Ghost towns .

This old brick church stands among the farm fields between Freeland and Bay City. A few modern houses and this old church are all that stand in the area of the old town of Amelith. Frederick Koch purchased two thousand acres of the former Saginaw Bay Chippewa Reserve at $1.25 an acre. In 1851 the first settlers arrived from the Bavarian town of Tosstel. In 1894 the town was given a post office and at one time the town included a coal mine, and a cheese factory, along with stores, mills, and saloons. By 1900 the mine had closed and immigration had ceased and the post office closed in 1904.

A historical mark proudly was proudly erected in front of the historic church and reads:

German missionary Pastor Ferdinand Sievers organized St. John Church in June 1852 to serve a colony of German migrants, some fleeing the turmoil that followed the European revolutions of 1848. Initially, the church met in a log cabin that once housed recent arrivals to the colony of Amelith. In 1870 a wood-frame Gothic style church was built. The present structure was completed in 1912. Schools run by the church began in 1853 with instruction in German surviving until World War I. Some church services continued in German until 1979. During World War II, German prisoners housed at Freeland Camp were ministered to by St. John Lutheran. An addition to the church was completed in 1997.

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