The Old Mission Log Church, located on Michigan’s Old Mission Peninsula, is a significant historical landmark that tells a compelling story of early missionary efforts and community development in the Grand Traverse region. While the current structure is a replica built in 1939 to commemorate the centennial of Reverend Peter Dougherty’s Presbyterian mission, it stands near the original site and houses the original church bell. Dougherty, a Presbyterian missionary, arrived in 1839 to establish a church and school for the local Anishinaabe (Ottawa and Chippewa) people. The original log building itself had an even earlier history, reportedly being moved piece by piece from Elk Rapids to Old Mission by Native Americans to be rebuilt as the church.
The Old Mission Log Church served as a vital spiritual and community hub for decades, even after Dougherty relocated his mission to Omena in 1852. From 1858 to 1916, it functioned as a Methodist Episcopal parish, hosting numerous assigned pastors and “circuit rider” ministers. Though the original log church was eventually torn down for its lumber in the 1920s, the replica, built on land donated by Bertha Gilmore, continues to serve as a tangible link to this important past. Today, the Old Mission Log Church, with its updated historical displays, offers visitors a glimpse into the lives of early settlers and the Anishinaabe people, highlighting the cultural and religious dynamics of the era.
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