Methodist
Episcopal Church
Date Visited: August 3, 2019
Stop: #45
Whew! What a day! It was approaching 6:00 pm and we had one last stop on a journey that started at 10:00 this morning. We did not have far to go – 1200 feet due north on Main Street (M-53) from the Marlette Train Depot. Just like the previous two historical signs we visited in Marlette, we had driven past this particular sign hundreds of times as well, but never really knew it was there. Why? Well, when driving north on M-53, the church building obscures clean line-of-sight to the sign, and driving south, the sign is obscured by a big, overgrown shrub. The historical marker I am referencing is associated with the Methodist Episcopal Church, located on the southeast corner of Kilgour Street and Main Street.
The church is easily
identifiable as it is a beautiful red brick building built in a Geo-Gothic
style. However, this is NOT the original
church. There is literally no history
that can be found on the building itself other than what is written on the
historical marker. The sign explains
that Methodism began in the Marlette area in 1851 when a sermon was first
delivered to the Methodist Society that year.
In 1858, the Methodist Episcopalians finally organized as a church. Their first minister was Reverend D. W.
Hammond, and he did not arrive in Marlette until 1873. Reverend Hammond is also known for starting
the Marlette Index newspaper in 1878 (for you history buffs, there are 4
digital copies of this newspaper covering 4 weeks in 1880 at the Marlette
Library).
The church itself was built in
1871. In 1901, as seems to be the case
with many churches we have visited, it became victim to a fire. Joseph Mills, an architect from Detroit who
had a history of designing buildings in the area, including the Marlette High
School and the Sanilac County Courthouse, developed the design for the new
church, which was built on land purchased by the Ladies Aid Society. The new church was dedicated on December 14,
1902. This church also fell victim to
fire – TWICE; first, in 1937, and then again in 1979. However, the church’s exterior survived each
fire so the renovations were primarily confined to the interior. Today, the church continues to hold services
and serves as a historical reminder of the early religions and their respective
churches that sprung up in this area of the Thumb.
So, this concluded our tour of
the Eastern Thumb of Michigan. A trip
that started at 10:00 am lasted about 9 ½ hours and traversed 164.7 miles of
Michigan lakeshore and farmland. Along
the way, we visited 15 historical markers, 2 wineries, and one scenic turnout –
not too far off from our original plan to hit 17 historical markers and 5
wineries. Overall, it was a near perfect
day, and so much fun spending it with Kathy and Sarah. I look forward to having more days just like
this one – but maybe with a few more wineries mixed in!!!
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