St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District

St. Mary's Church Complex Historic District is a religious ensemble with four main buildings at the intersection of Elm Avenue and North Monroe Street. The site includes a high school building, a residential building for a religious brotherhood, the church, and an elementary school from different periods.

The origins trace back to St. Antoine aux Rivière Raisin, established by French Canadians in 1788. The current church was built in 1834 and became the center of this historic district.

The Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary shaped this place starting in 1845 through education and spiritual work. Their buildings show how the Catholic community brought together learning and faith in everyday practice.

The district sits at a main intersection that is easy to locate and offers good accessibility. Plan time to walk around all four buildings and explore the different architectural styles from each period.

The residential building from the Holy Cross Brotherhood dating to 1870 displays a different architectural language than the school building from 1903. These two structures show how building styles and construction methods changed across the decades.

Location: Monroe

Inception: 1834

GPS coordinates: 41.91889,-83.39667

Latest update: December 14, 2025 09:42