St. Vincent de Paul Church (Pontiac, Michigan) facts for kids
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St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, Convent, and School
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 Location in Michigan
Location in the United States
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| Location | 46408 Woodward Ave, Pontiac, Michigan |
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| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1885 |
| Architect | Donaldson & Meier |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival, Collegiate Gothic |
| NRHP reference No. | 89000492 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | June 9, 1989 |
The St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church, Convent, and School is a group of old buildings in Pontiac, Michigan. You can find them at 46408 Woodward Avenue. These buildings are important because they are listed as a Michigan State Historic Site. They were also added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989.
Contents
History of St. Vincent DePaul
Early Days of the Church
The St. Vincent DePaul church community started in 1851. It covered a very large area, including all of Oakland County and parts of nearby counties. The first church building was on North Saginaw Street in Pontiac.
In 1866, the church moved to a new spot on Oakland Avenue. The community kept growing bigger. In the 1880s, a priest named Reverend Fridolin Baumgartner began collecting money. He wanted to build the church that stands there today.
Building the Church and More
The church leaders hired a famous architecture company from Detroit, Donaldson & Meier. They designed the new church. The first stone of the church was placed on September 6, 1885.
The church was officially opened two years later, on September 18, 1887. A very large bell, weighing 6,600 pounds, was put into the church in 1890. More buildings were added over the years. A house for the priest (called a rectory) was built in 1895. A school building was added in 1897, and a community hall in 1911.
The school was replaced with a newer building in 1923. A convent, which is a home for nuns, was added in 1926. The school helped many students until it closed in 1969.
New Parish, New Name
In 1999, the church leaders decided to combine St. Vincent de Paul parish with two other local parishes. These were St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel. Together, they formed a new parish called St. Damien of Molokai.
This new name honored Father Damien. He was a Belgian priest known for helping people with leprosy in Hawaii for 16 years. Father Damien became a Catholic saint in 2009. The St. Vincent de Paul church building is still used by the St. Damien of Molokai parish today.
What the Buildings Look Like
The St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Church complex includes several buildings. There is St. Vincent's Church (built in 1885), the rectory (1895), the parish hall (1911), St. Frederick School (1923), and the Convent (1926).
All these buildings are close together. They are made of brick with stone details. The same architects, Donaldson & Meier, designed all of them. Because they have similar styles and materials, the buildings look nice together. Only three of these buildings are listed on the National Register of Historic Places: the church, the school, and the convent.
The Church Building
The church is built in a style called Gothic Revival. This means it looks like old European churches. It has a cross shape when seen from above. There is a tall tower with a steeple at the front.
The front of the church has three main doors. Each door is under a pointed arch. Above these doors are windows. A very large double window with pointed arches and colorful stained glass is above the main entrance. You can see more stained glass windows all around the church.
The School and Convent
St. Frederick's School is a three-story building made of dark red brick. It is in a style called Collegiate Gothic. This style often looks like old college buildings. The school has a balanced front with parts that stick out.
The main entrance is set back in a pointed archway made of stone. Above the entrance, you can see "St. Frederick's School" written. The windows are rectangular and have many small glass panes. The nearby convent is also a three-story building in the Collegiate Gothic style. It is simpler, with only a few stone details around its doors and windows.
