Immaculate Conception Church, Roman Catholic church in Palmer Road, Prince Edward Island, Canada
The Immaculate Conception Church, known as Palmer Road Church, is a white wooden Gothic Revival church built in 1892 at the intersection of Routes 155 and 156 in Palmer Road, Prince Edward Island. Designed by François Xavier Édouard Meloche, it is the oldest wooden church on the island, with pointed-arch windows and fine craftsmanship inside and out.
The first church on the site was built in 1867 as the St. Thomas Mission, a mission of St. Simon & St. Jude Church in Tignish, and became its own parish in 1878. That church burned on 24 May 1890. The present church, designed by François Xavier Édouard Meloche (1855–1917), had its cornerstone laid on 15 August 1892, the Feast of the Acadians, and was completed that year. In 2007 a proposal to merge the parish with St. Simon & St. Jude was largely rejected by pastor Fr. Arthur Pendergast and parishioners.
The parish began in 1867 as the St. Thomas Mission, a mission of St. Simon & St. Jude Church in Tignish, and became a separate parish in 1878. Its name refers to the Immaculate Conception of Mary, and the church is commonly called Palmer Road Church after its location at Routes 155 and 156.
The church stands at the junction of Routes 155 and 156, opposite the Palmer Road Community Center, and can be reached by car. Services are held on Saturdays, Sundays and weekdays, so check times before visiting.
The church is the oldest wooden church on Prince Edward Island. Its designer, François Xavier Édouard Meloche (1855–1917), was a Montreal artist and architect whose work has received little attention in Canadian art history. The cornerstone was laid on 15 August 1892, the Feast of the Acadians.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 94,461 contributors worldwide.