St Anne de Detroit

St. Anne de Detroit

Erected in 1701 by Cadillac, Detroit's founder, St. Anne de Detroit would have been located at the corner of what is today known as Jefferson and Griswald. The fire of 1805 that destroyed the city also destroyed the church. As the city grew, the church moved to many different locations before settling on Howard and St, Anne st. ( 19th st). The parish , the largest in the Midwest at the time, could seat 1380 parishioners in it's Victorian Gothic structure. The cornerstone and the alter from it's 1818 structure was incorporated into the the 1887 building.

At the time the area surrounding the church was only french speaking settlers. Due to wars and industrial influx of jobs the community changed. By 1940 the church began offering Spanish speaking masses.

Some say the parish is at the foot of Mexican Town, some say its' not but we'll let you be the judge. Take a trip down Fort street to St. Anne de Detroit and view a piece of Detroit History.