Church of Our Saviour, Friend of Children facts for kids
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Church of Our Saviour, Friend of Children
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 Location in Michigan
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| Location | North Shore Rd., Payment Settlement on Sugar Island, near Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan |
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| Built | 1856-57 |
| Built by | Michael G. Payment |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002831 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 08, 1982 |
The Church of Our Saviour, Friend of Children, also called Holy Angels Roman Catholic Church, is a special old church. You can find it on North Shore Road on Sugar Island. This island is close to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan.
This church is very important historically. It was named a Michigan State Historic Site in 1978. Later, in 1982, it was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means it's recognized as a significant historical place in the United States.
Contents
The Church's Story
Building a New Church on Sugar Island
The story of this church begins with Michael G. Payment. He was born in Montreal in 1814. In 1827, he moved to Detroit. There, he started working in business. He soon became in charge of shipping goods. He often traded with Native American people.
In 1845, Michael Payment moved to Sugar Island. He started a small community there. People called it "Payment's Landing" or "Payment Settlement." He traded goods with the local Ojibwe people. His trading post became very successful.
A Bishop's Dream Comes True
Starting in 1853, a special visitor came often to Payment's Settlement. This was Bishop Frederic Baraga. He was a religious leader. In 1856, Bishop Baraga bought wood for a church. He asked Michael Payment to build it. Payment agreed to help. The church building was finished in 1857.
Michael Payment moved back to Detroit in 1874. But church services continued regularly. The church closed its doors in 1953. However, it reopened in 1982 for summer services. Today, it is the only building left from the original Payment's Landing settlement.
What the Church Looks Like
The Church of Our Saviour, Friend of Children, is a single-story building. It is made of wood. It sits on a strong foundation made of fieldstone, which are natural stones.
The outside walls were first covered with thin, overlapping wooden boards called clapboard. Later, another type of wooden siding, called weatherboarding, was put over the original boards.
The church has a gable roof. This means the roof has two sloping sides that meet at the top. On top of the roof, there is a square belfry. It has a pyramid-shaped roof. Each side of the church has three windows. At one end, there is an entry portico. This is like a porch with a roof supported by columns. Above the portico, you can see a simple wooden cross.
