St. John the Baptist Catholic Church (Menominee, Michigan) facts for kids
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St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 904 11th Ave. Menominee, Michigan |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Architect | Derrick Hubert |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000865 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | July 21, 1995 |
The St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is a very old and important building in Menominee, Michigan. It used to be a church, but now it is home to the Menominee County Historical Museum. This building is special because it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It was added to this list in 1995. It was also named a Michigan State Historic Site back in 1981.
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History of the Church Building
The St. John the Baptist church group was the very first religious group along the Menominee River in Michigan. It started way back in 1872. The first church building was finished in 1873.
Building the New Church
Later, in 1919, the church decided to build a new, bigger church. They asked Derrick Hubert, who was an architect and a member of their church, to design it. The old church building was taken down in 1921. The new and beautiful St. John the Baptist Church was built between 1921 and 1922.
From Church to Museum
The church was used by the community for many years. However, in 1972, some church groups joined together. Because of these changes, the St. John the Baptist Church building was no longer used as a church. In 1976, the Menominee County Historical Society bought the building. Today, it is used as the Heritage Museum for Menominee County. It helps people learn about the area's past.
What the Church Looks Like
The St. John the Baptist Catholic Church is built in a style called Late Gothic Revival. It is made of red bricks and sits on a strong foundation of stone and concrete. The roof has a pointed shape, like a triangle, which is called a gable roof. There is a tall, square tower at the front of the building. On the east side, there is a rectangular part that sticks out.
Outside Details
The bottom part of the church, called the water table, is made of concrete. So are the window sills and the decorative parts above the windows. Other fancy decorations are made from metal. The front of the church has three main sections. These sections are separated by strong supports called buttresses.
The middle section has a large, double door with a special arch shape. Above this door is a low, pointed window. The sections on either side of the main entrance have single windows with the same arch shape. At the back of the building, there is a five-sided area called an apse. This is where the main altar used to be. Many people say the beautiful stained glass windows inside the church were made in Munich, Germany.
Inside the Building
When you enter the church through the main front doors, you step into a small entrance area called a narthex. The floor here is made of shiny terrazzo. From the narthex, three doors lead into the main part of the church, which is called the nave. The nave has a strong concrete floor. The ceiling curves up from the sides and slopes towards the middle. There is also a balcony at the back of the nave.
The area where the altar used to be is a bit higher than the rest of the nave. The original altars were taken out when the church closed. However, the marble base of the main altar is still there. Most of the long wooden benches, called pews, have been removed from the nave. Now, this large space is used to display interesting exhibits for the museum.
