St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District (Monroe, Michigan) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District
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St. Mary Church from across the River Raisin
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | East Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street Monroe, Michigan |
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| Area | 60 acres (24 ha) |
| Built | 1834 |
| NRHP reference No. | 82002855 |
| Added to NRHP | May 6, 1982 |
The St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District is a special area in Monroe, Michigan. It is located where Elm Avenue meets North Monroe Street (M-125). This district is important because of its history. It was recognized as a Michigan Historic Site and added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 6, 1982.
Contents
What is the St. Mary's Church Complex?
This historic area includes four main buildings. The most important building is St. Mary Church. It is located at 117 North Monroe Street. The church's history goes back to 1788. It was first called St. Antoine aux Rivière Raisin. French Canadians started this church. It is the oldest church in Monroe County.
The current church building was built in 1834. It was officially opened in 1839. In 1845, its name changed to St. Mary Church. That same year, it became part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit.
Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary
The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) group started in Monroe in 1845. Their first leader was Theresa Maxis Duchemine. She was an African-American woman from Haiti. She was also a founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence in Baltimore. This was the first religious group for African-American women in the United States.
Schools in the District
In 1846, St. Mary Academy was built near the church. This was a school just for girls. Later, Monroe Catholic Central was built next to the main church. This school was only for boys.
In 1986, these two schools joined together. They formed a new school called St. Mary Catholic Central (SMCC) high school. Boys and girls could both attend this school. It is located in the old Monroe Catholic Central building. This building was made bigger next to the church at 108 West Elm Avenue.
SMCC is still open today. It is the largest building in the historic district. It is also the biggest private school in Monroe County.
Buildings and Their Styles
The original church building stayed the same from 1839 until 1903. Then, it was made larger. In 1870, the Brothers of the Holy Cross built a residential building. The St. Mary Parochial Elementary School was finished in 1903. The current rectory (where the priests live) was added in the 1920s. It is on the north side of the church.
Each of these buildings has its own special design. Most of the buildings in the complex have not changed much since the 1920s. The SMCC building has had some additions.
Location of the District
The St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District covers about 60 acres (24 hectares). It has clear borders:
- To the west: Borgess Avenue
- To the north: West Willow Street
- To the south: Elm Avenue
- To the east: North Monroe Street (M-125)
The district is located across Elm Avenue from the George Armstrong Custer Equestrian Monument. It is also across North Monroe Street from the East Elm-North Macomb Street Historic District. The church complex is just across the River Raisin from the Old Village Historic District.
