Topic outline

  • History

    In 1902 the current church was built with materials brought in from local parishioners themselves and "donated work included 504 days of labor, 451 days with teams, [and donate materials of] 87,000 feet of lumber, 112,000 feet of logs, 102 cords of stone,v1,000 loads of gravel, 2,000 loads of sand and all the posts for scaffolding. The picture below is of the laying of the cornerstone in 1903.

    In 1902 the current church was built with materials brought in from local parishioners themselves and "donated work included 504 days of labor, 451 days with teams, [and donate materials of] 87,000 feet of lumber, 112,000 feet of logs, 102 cords of stone, 1,000 loads of gravel, 2,000 loads of sand and all the posts for scaffolding. The picture above is of the laying of the cornerstone in 1903.

    St. Francis Xavier School began in 1883 as a one-room school house located in the priests’ house. 
    Mr. Phillip Schmidt, the first teacher, taught from 1883 to 1890.  On August 26, 1890 the Franciscan Sisters of Christian Charity arrived from Manitowoc, Wisconsin to serve the parish as teachers until 1999.  They are remembered as the only religious community ever to teach at St. Francis Xavier School.  In 1980, Kindergarten was added and Pre-Kindergarten followed in 1987.  The Child Development Center and the Before and After School programs opened in September 1991.  St. Francis Xavier School achieved full accreditation status through the Michigan Non-Public School Accrediting Association (MANSAA) on August 15, 1989 and continues to be actively accredited by submitting a yearly report that records the on-going school improvements.  

    St. Francis Xavier Church