Churches Archives - Page 8 of 14

Almont Society of the New Church

Posted on November 8, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Churches .

This beautiful white chapel stands in a quiet part of the state east of Almont. A historical marker stands in front of it giving some history to this historic little church.

Scottish immigrants from Glascow settled in Berlin Township in 1841. Ten years later, twenty-four of them founded the Almont Society of the New Church. They followed the teachings of Emanuel Swedenborg (1688 – 1772), a Swedish mathematician, philosopher and scientist whose Christian theological writings form the basis of the New Church. In 1875 members donated labor, materials, and money to build this chapel, designed by church member William Morton.

The chapel is now part of The Almont New Church Assembly and Retreat Center.

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A Michigan Ghost Town Church

Posted on November 1, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in autumn, Churches, Ghost towns .

This old church stands quietly in the town of Harlan located in northern Michigan east of Copemish. In the 1880s the railroad was originally going to go through the nearby town of Cleon. Because of the steep grades and sharp curves they decided to run through the town of Harlan instead. It gave the town a boost in population. Having several stores a blacksmith shop and a hotel, the town prospered until the railroad no longer stopped in the little town. By the 1950s most of the businesses had closed. Not much remains in Harlan but this old church and a few houses.

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A Big Church in a Small Irish Town

Posted on October 25, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

After the 1836 Treaty of Washington opened up the land for Europeans, Irish immigrants settled the area north of Grand Rapids. By 1844, it is estimated that 20-30 Irish families were settled in the area now known as Parnell. The town was named after Irish political leader Charles Stewart Parnell. The community came together to worship with a priest sent from Grand Rapids, most frequently in the home of Michael Farrell. By the end of the 1840s, planning for St. Patrick’s Catholic Church had begun. The original church was replaced by two other churches that burned down. The current structure and fourth church to be given the name Saint Patrick’s was built in 1878. It was renovated in the 1990s and still stands proudly over the farm fields surrounding Parnell.

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Springfield Chapel

Posted on September 20, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches .

I saw this little chapel a few miles southeast of Fife Lake. I could not find any info about this small church other than the sign on the front that reads. Springfield Chapel 1900-2007.

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The Stone Chapel in Clinton’s Cemetery

Posted on August 15, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Cemetery, Churches .

This beautiful little stone chapel stands among the headstones in Riverside Cemetery in the southern Michigan town of Clinton. The historical marker next to the chapel tells a little bit of its history and reads:

This chapel, completed in 1913, embodies the dream of Cemetery Superintendent George Kies, the design of Clinton-born architect Wirt Rowland and the artistry of the mason, a “Mr. Uhr” of Manchester. It also reflects livestock dealer Solomon Tate’s sense of color and design. Tate chose the stones, donated by local farmers. The Clinton Culture Club, later the Federated Women’s Club, led the chapel building effort.

Early in his long career in Detroit, Clinton native Wirt C. Rowland designed this chapel, which reflects medieval inspiration. Wirt Rowland (1878 – 1946) worked for George D. Mason, Albert Kahn, and other leading Detroit architects. He is best known for designing three Detroit skyscrapers, the Buhl Building, the Penobscot Building, and the Guardian Building during the 1920s, while employed by Smith Hinchman & Grylls. These buildings defined the Detroit skyline for almost fifty years

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Church of Our Savior, Friend of Children

Posted on July 19, 2020 by Mike Sonnenberg Posted in Churches, upper peninsula .

This little wooden church stands on the northern side of Sugar Island. It was built for Bishop Frederic Baraga by Michael Payment in 1856. In 1845, Payment moved to Sugar Island and established a small settlement, known at the time as “Payment’s Landing” or “Payment Settlement.” Bishop Baraga was a frequent visitor to the settlement, and after purchasing lumber he asked payment to construct the church. It was used continuously until 1953 when it was closed. In 1982 it was reopened and used for annual masses to celebrate Bishop Baraga’s Birthday. The church is currently called Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church but it was originally called Church of Our Savior, Friend of Children.

You can find out more about Sugar Island HERE

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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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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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