Flambeau Mission Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Flambeau Mission Church
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 Location in Wisconsin
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Ladysmith, Wisconsin |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1884 |
| Built by | Thomas Orthman |
| NRHP reference No. | 79000113 |
| Added to NRHP | August 7, 1979 |
The Flambeau Mission Church, also known as St. Francis of Assisi Mission Church, is a very old and important church. It is located south of Ladysmith, Wisconsin, in the United States. This church was the first one ever built in Rusk County.
It was constructed in 1882 near where the Chippewa and Flambeau Rivers meet. The church was built to serve the people of Flambeau Farms, a community of French and Native American residents. Because of its history, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. This means it is recognized as a special historical site.
A Busy River Area
In the late 1800s, the Flambeau and Chippewa rivers were very busy. This was because of logging and "log-driving." Log-driving meant floating cut trees down the river to sawmills.
People from other areas began to settle here around 1847. By 1864, a company called Daniel Shaw Lumber Company had a farm nearby. This farm helped supply their logging work. Besides river traffic, a stagecoach line also stopped at Shaw's farm. This line carried people and goods into the logging areas.
The Chippewa Community
About a mile and a half east of the farm, a village of Chippewa Indians lived. Their village was on the south bank of the river.
Religious leaders called Franciscan missionaries visited this village. Around 1881, they decided to build a simple mission church. It was built facing the river.
Building the Church
Local carpenter Thomas Orthman helped build the church. Other residents also worked on it. They followed the directions of Father Chrysostom Verwyst and Father Casimir.
Behind the church, a small building was added for the priest. In 1884, a two-story addition was built. It was meant to be a monastery, a place for religious people to live, but it was never used for that. The church's bell tower was added later, in 1903.
The Church's Importance
When the church was dedicated in 1881, about 70 members of the Chippewa community were part of it. This was when pine logging was at its busiest. The Flambeau settlement had many saloons at that time.
As logging slowed down, the community changed. Most of the old logging settlement is gone now. The Flambeau Mission Church is the only building left from that small logging community. It stands as a reminder of the area's past.
