Immaculate Conception Church (Iron Mountain, Michigan)
Encyclopedia
The Immaculate Conception Church is an Italian Renaissance Revival church located at 500 E. Blaine Street in Iron Mountain, Michigan
. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1990. It is also known as Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church.
In April 1902, Father Giovanni Sinopoli di Giunta arrived in Iron Mountain to serve as the parish priest. Father Sinopoli was a former count
from Sicily
who had renounced his title in order to serve Italian immigrants in the United States
. The new priest quickly organized a building committee to fund the construction of a new church and drew up plans for the building himself. A donation drive quickly netted nearly $4000, and in June 1902 Father Sinopoli began digging the foundation himself. In July, the cornerstone was laid, and construction on the church continued quickly. Father Sinopoli acted as engineer, architect, and building foreman, and numerous men from the parish volunteered their labor. The superintendent of the local Pewabic Mine donated timber and sent workers to assist in construction, paying their salaries out of his own pocket. The church was completed in December, 1902, and on January 1, 1903, was dedicated to to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes.
Father Sinopoli stayed with the parish for only one year, but left an organized church with a new building. Further improvements and additions were made through the years. In 1923, a rectory
was built for the church. In 1942, catechism
classes were organized; these classes evolved into year-round education, and in 1955 the parish opened a school which eventually served children in the first through eighth grades. Both Tom Izzo
and Steve Mariucci
attended the Immaculate Conception school in the first grade. In 1971, the school consolidated with other nearby Catholic schools, and the Immaculate Conception school housed first through third grades. In 1990, the schools were consolidated further and all classes were taught downtown. The former Immaculate Conception school was leased to the Iron Mountain school district.
Significant upgrades were made to the church in the 1960s, and the exterior was repaired in the 1980s. The church was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1990.
parish churces in Italy, echoes the architectural traditions of the Italian immigrants who built it. It is a rectangular plan church with a central nave, constructed of random coursed sandstone. The main church has a gable-end pitched roof, with a two-story hipped-roof
section at the rear. A striking octagonal bell tower, fashioned after a campanile
and topped with a pierced belfry
, is also located at the rear of the structure. Unusual timber trusses support a wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling. Stained glass windows, at least three of which were created by the Menominee Stained Glass Works, are set in bricked arched window wells and light the nave.
The front facade has two blind arches, flaked by pilasters, framing the central entrance. Shorter side bays on each side are joined to the main facade with curved walls which obscure the gable end of the roof. Two niches hold statues of saints.
Iron Mountain, Michigan
Iron Mountain is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 8,154. It is the county seat of Dickinson County, in the state's Upper Peninsula....
. It was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1990. It is also known as Mary Immaculate of Lourdes Church.
History
In the late 19th century, a flood of Italian immigrants arrived in Iron Mountain to work in the nearby iron mines. These Italian Catholics first worshipped at St. Joseph's in downtown Iron Mountain. However, in 1890, the Italian Catholics then living on the north side of the city organized an "Italian Church," and received permission to start their own parish. That year, they constructed a frame structure near the site of the present church and a priest was assigned to the parish. The original frame church burned in 1893, but work quickly began on a replacement.In April 1902, Father Giovanni Sinopoli di Giunta arrived in Iron Mountain to serve as the parish priest. Father Sinopoli was a former count
Count
A count or countess is an aristocratic nobleman in European countries. The word count came into English from the French comte, itself from Latin comes—in its accusative comitem—meaning "companion", and later "companion of the emperor, delegate of the emperor". The adjective form of the word is...
from Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
who had renounced his title in order to serve Italian immigrants in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The new priest quickly organized a building committee to fund the construction of a new church and drew up plans for the building himself. A donation drive quickly netted nearly $4000, and in June 1902 Father Sinopoli began digging the foundation himself. In July, the cornerstone was laid, and construction on the church continued quickly. Father Sinopoli acted as engineer, architect, and building foreman, and numerous men from the parish volunteered their labor. The superintendent of the local Pewabic Mine donated timber and sent workers to assist in construction, paying their salaries out of his own pocket. The church was completed in December, 1902, and on January 1, 1903, was dedicated to to Mary Immaculate of Lourdes.
Father Sinopoli stayed with the parish for only one year, but left an organized church with a new building. Further improvements and additions were made through the years. In 1923, a rectory
Rectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
was built for the church. In 1942, catechism
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
classes were organized; these classes evolved into year-round education, and in 1955 the parish opened a school which eventually served children in the first through eighth grades. Both Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo
Tom Izzo is an American college basketball coach. Since 1995, he has been the head coach for the Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team, presiding over a prolonged period of success....
and Steve Mariucci
Steve Mariucci
Stephen Ray "Steve" Mariucci is a former National Football League coach. He coached for the San Francisco 49ers and most recently for the Detroit Lions.-Early career:...
attended the Immaculate Conception school in the first grade. In 1971, the school consolidated with other nearby Catholic schools, and the Immaculate Conception school housed first through third grades. In 1990, the schools were consolidated further and all classes were taught downtown. The former Immaculate Conception school was leased to the Iron Mountain school district.
Significant upgrades were made to the church in the 1960s, and the exterior was repaired in the 1980s. The church was designated a Michigan State Historic Site in 1979 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1990.
Description
This church, similar to RenaissanceRenaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
parish churces in Italy, echoes the architectural traditions of the Italian immigrants who built it. It is a rectangular plan church with a central nave, constructed of random coursed sandstone. The main church has a gable-end pitched roof, with a two-story hipped-roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
section at the rear. A striking octagonal bell tower, fashioned after a campanile
Campanile
Campanile is an Italian word meaning "bell tower" . The term applies to bell towers which are either part of a larger building or free-standing, although in American English, the latter meaning has become prevalent.The most famous campanile is probably the Leaning Tower of Pisa...
and topped with a pierced belfry
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
, is also located at the rear of the structure. Unusual timber trusses support a wooden barrel-vaulted ceiling. Stained glass windows, at least three of which were created by the Menominee Stained Glass Works, are set in bricked arched window wells and light the nave.
The front facade has two blind arches, flaked by pilasters, framing the central entrance. Shorter side bays on each side are joined to the main facade with curved walls which obscure the gable end of the roof. Two niches hold statues of saints.
External links
- Parish information and history from the Catholic Diocese of Marquette