Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary - Detroit, MI - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

From the State of Michigan two-sided historical marker at the church:
ASSUMPTION ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH The origins of Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Roman Catholic Church can be traced to 1830, when German immigrants first arrived in Detroit. Warned away from cholera-stricken Detroit, they built a log church here in 1832, in what was then the outskirts of the city. Redemptorist missionaries served the Kirche im Wald (Church in the Woods) until it was designated a parish by Bishop Peter Paul LeFevre in 1847. It is the second-oldest parish in Detroit. Father Amandus Vandendriessche, the first full-time pastor, was assigned here in 1852 and immediately began building a permanent structure. Built of brick made on the premises, the church was completed in time for Christmas services that same year.

ASSUMPTION GROTTO To meet the needs of a growing congregation, this church was begun in 1928. Designed by the Detroit architectural firm Aloys Frank Herman, Incorporated, the limestone-faced, Neo-Gothic, basilica-plan church was dedicated on September 22, 1929. A unique feature of the church grounds is the grotto, a shrine located in the parish cemetery. Father Amandus Vandendriessche, who had served Assumption Church since 1852, visited France in 1876 and was so inspired by the shrine at Our Lady of Lourdes that he decided to create a replica at his own parish. The grotto has attracted visitors since its dedication in June 1881. The entire church complex, which consists of the church, parish house, rectory, cemetery and grotto, was entered into the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

"The church is a basilica-plan Neo-Gothic structure, faced with limestone and occupies the middle of the property facing Gratiot Avenue. The interior of the church includes altars and communion rails of Italian marble and stained glass windows illustrating scenes from the life of the Virgin Mary and the saints.

The rectory dates to 1918 and lies to the south of the church with the convent to the north dating from the early 1920s. Both are constructed of red brick along with the modest boiler house located next to the convent. A parish cemetery with a variety of monuments spanning from the early 19th century to the present lies east, to the rear of the church. A large statue of Our Lady of Lourdes stands on the grounds facing Gratiot. Near the rear of the cemetery is the grotto. The shrine is constructed from imported limestone, and was completed in 1881. Boulders placed around the shrine (as well as in the cemetery) were carried by farmers from all parts of Michigan. Some of the stones and many of the limestone pieces are carved with names and dedications. -Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of organization: 01/01/1832 Date of building construction: 01/01/1929 Dominant Architectural Style: Neo-Gothic Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Outdoor altar, grotto, and stations of the cross Archdiocese: Detroit Diocese: Detroit Address/Location: 13770 Gratiot Ave. Detroit, MI USA 48205 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link]

Visit Instructions:
To log a visit to this waymark, you must post at least one original photo of the site, give the date and a brief description of your visit.

Recent Visits/Logs:

There are no logs for this waymark yet.