St Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, Monroe, Michigan

Saint Michael the Archangel, located at 502 West Front Street in Monroe, is the second oldest Catholic Church in Monroe County, Michigan. The movement to establish the parish began in 1845 when 14 German immigrant families, longing for an opportunity to worship in their native tongue, petitioned the Bishop of Detroit for authority to build a church. Five prominent families contributed a total of $2,000 for the land for the development, which they purchased in July of 1852, from the estate of Monroe’s first mayor. The mayor’s palatial residence was remodeled for use as a temporary church and was consecrated on the Feast of Saint Michael, Michaelmas, September 29, 1852. The cornerstone for the present church was laid on June 12, 1866, and the building was consecrated in October, 1867. The 187-foot steeple was added in 1883. The cost of the church, including the steeple and three magnificent bells for the tower, totaled a mere $40,000. Our three-story, brick rectory was built in 1874 for $5,000, and our original school was built in 1918 — and both continue to serve the staff and parishioners of St. Michael.

GPS Location: 39º54’36.3″N 85º27’42.7″W

Video Release Date May 12, 2023