St. Anne's Church and Mission Site facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Anne's Church and Mission Site
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Maine
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | On Indian Island off ME 43, Old Town, Maine |
|---|---|
| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1668 |
| NRHP reference No. | 73000141 |
| Added to NRHP | November 26, 1973 |
St. Anne's Church and Mission Site is a very old and important religious place located on Indian Island in Old Town, Maine, United States. This special site includes a church building, which was built around 1830. It also has a cemetery that started way back in 1668.
The mission here, which is like a religious center, has been around since 1668. This makes it one of the oldest Roman Catholic places in all of New England. The church building itself is also one of the oldest Catholic churches in this area. Because of its long history and importance, the site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. This means it's recognized as a place worth protecting for future generations.
What the Church Looks Like
St. Anne's Church is found on the east side of Down Street. This is near the southern part of Indian Island, where the Penobscot Indian Island Reservation is located. The church is a single-story building made of wood. It has a roof that slopes down on two sides, forming a triangle at the front. The outside walls are covered with clapboard siding, which are long, thin boards.
The church has changed quite a bit over the years. When it was first built, it had a small tower and a bell on its roof. The main entrance was on the west side, and there was a special fan-shaped window above it. Around the early 1900s, this small tower was replaced. A much bigger, square tower was added to the front of the church.
Now, you enter the church through the bottom of this new tower. The fan-shaped window is still there, just above the entrance. The top part of the tower has fancy windows on each side, called Palladian windows. The tower's roof is shaped like a pyramid, and it has decorative points, called pinnacles, at each corner.
A Long History of Faith
The Catholic mission for the Penobscot Indians began in 1688. It was started by Louis-Pierre Thury, a French missionary. He helped build the first church and set up the cemetery. This shows how long people have been coming to this spot for religious services.
Later, in 1702, the mission was taken over by the Jesuits, who are another group of Catholic priests. Antoine Gaulen led the mission until 1732. For many years after that, there wasn't a full-time priest living at the mission. However, traveling missionaries and priests would visit to help the Penobscot people.
Starting in 1792, missionaries began to stay here during the summer months. It was during the time of Reverend John Cheverus, from 1792 to 1798, that the second church building was constructed on this very site. The church building you see today was built between 1828 and 1830. Reverend Virgil Barber was in charge of the mission at that time. The state even helped pay for the construction of this church. Finally, in 1926, the church got its first full-time priest, meaning someone was always there to serve the community.
See also
