Saint Joseph Church and Shrine

Saint Joseph Church is a Catholic church with a cruciform design built from fieldstone walls, a hip roof, and a square bell tower topped with red ceramic tiles. The structure stands on property at 8742 U.S. Route 12 in the Irish Hills region, with a cemetery on the grounds dating to the 1850s.

Irish settlers founded this missionary church in 1854, with construction continuing until 1862 and resulting in a simple fieldstone structure without decoration. In 1932, Hispanic architects redesigned and expanded the property, giving the church its current distinctive form.

The shrine holds fourteen outdoor stations of the cross, installed in 1932, showing scenes from Jesus's journey to Calvary along a walking path. Visitors can follow these stations across the grounds as part of a spiritual practice rooted in Catholic tradition.

The church property is publicly accessible and located along U.S. Route 12 in the Irish Hills region, making it easy to find and visit. Walking paths cross the grounds, allowing visitors to view the stations and explore the cemetery area comfortably.

The architects Leo Ouelette, Dionicio Rodriguez, and Ralph Corona created a distinctive design in 1932 using techniques that replicate natural stone and timber textures in creative ways. These crafted details are often overlooked by visitors, yet they define the building's exterior through careful and thoughtful artistry.

Location: Michigan

Architectural style: Spanish Colonial Revival architecture, Mediterranean Revival architecture

GPS coordinates: 42.05667,-84.16417

Latest update: December 14, 2025 11:05