Parnell, Michigan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parnell, Michigan
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St Patrick's Catholic Church in Parnell
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 Parnell, Michigan
Location in Michigan
Parnell, Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Michigan |
| County | Kent |
| Township | Grattan |
| Elevation | 833 ft (254 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code(s) |
49301 (Ada)
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| Area code(s) | 616 |
| GNIS feature ID | 1617772 |
Parnell is a small community in Grattan Township, located in Kent County, Michigan, United States. It's known as an unincorporated community, which means it's not an official city or town with its own local government.
History of Parnell
Early Settlers
Long ago, the land where Parnell is now located was home to the Ottawa people. In 1836, a special agreement called the Treaty of Washington made the land available for European settlers. Soon after, many European families began to move into the area.
In the late 1830s and 1840s, a lot of Irish immigrants settled here. They liked the area because it had good land for farming. It was also fairly close to Grand Rapids, Michigan, which was a growing city. By 1844, about 20 to 30 Irish families had made Parnell their home.
St. Patrick's Church and School
The community in Parnell was very close-knit. In 1844, the Irish families started gathering to worship with a priest who traveled from Grand Rapids. They often met at the home of Michael Farrell. By the end of that year, they began planning to build their own church, which they named St. Patrick's Catholic Church.
The church building you see today was built in 1878. It stands across the street from where the very first church was located. The tall steeple of the church was updated and repaired in 2005.
Saint Patrick School in Parnell was started by a Catholic priest named James Crumley in 1893. The school moved into its current building in 1963. It teaches children from preschool all the way up to 8th grade.
Parnell is also home to a special place called a monastery. This monastery was founded in 1916 and is where Discalced Carmelite nuns live. These nuns are Catholic sisters who dedicate their lives to prayer.
Education in Parnell
Public schools in the Parnell area are managed by Lowell Area Schools. Younger students in Parnell attend Murray Lake Elementary School. For middle school, students go to Lowell Middle School. Older students attend Lowell High School. These two schools serve all the students in the wider district.
