Jacksonport in Door County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
St. Michael the Archangel
Photographed By Fitzie Heimdahl, September 10, 2019
1. St Michael the Archangel Marker
Inscription.
St. Michael the Archangel. . French trader Médard Chouart des Groseilliers spent the winter of 1654–55 in Jacksonport, at the time a Potawatomi/Ottawa village known as Mechigan that was home to more than 3,000. Upon his return to Quebec, Groseilliers reported on the abundance of the area’s resources and on the multitude and character of its people. Having been invited by the Potawatomi to visit, Catholic missionaries requested they might be permitted to plant the cross of their faith within the village, calling their first prospective mission St. Michael, chief of the Archangels. Built more than two hundred years later, Jacksonport’s Catholic church was named St. Michael the Archangel. ,
(Continued on other side).
(Continued from other side). Prior to construction of the church, Catholic residents celebrated Mass at various nearby homes. In 1875, John Reynolds was the first recorded baptism in Jacksonport at a location referred to as St. Michael’s. The next year construction began on St. Michael’s church. The lakefront location, including the cemetery site, was donated by the Charles Reynolds family. Early St. Michael’s member families included LeClair, Londo, Cardy, DesJardine, LeMere, Butler, Campbell, O’Brien, LaPlante, Lautenbach, Orthober, and Searth. Many of these families still have a presence in Jacksonport. Leona (Cote) Grovogel attended Mass here for one hundred years, from 1899–1999.
French trader Médard Chouart des Groseilliers spent the winter of 1654–55 in Jacksonport, at the time a Potawatomi/Ottawa village known as Mechigan that was home to more than 3,000. Upon his return to Quebec, Groseilliers reported on the abundance of the area’s resources and on the multitude and character of its people. Having been invited by the Potawatomi to visit, Catholic missionaries requested they might be permitted to plant the cross of their faith within the village, calling their first prospective mission St. Michael, chief of the Archangels. Built more than two hundred years later, Jacksonport’s Catholic church was named St. Michael the Archangel.
(Continued on other side)
(Continued from other side)
Prior to construction of the church, Catholic residents celebrated Mass at various nearby homes. In 1875, John Reynolds was the first recorded baptism in Jacksonport at a location referred to as St. Michael’s. The next year construction began on St. Michael’s church. The lakefront location, including the cemetery site, was donated by the Charles Reynolds family. Early St. Michael’s member families included LeClair, Londo, Cardy, DesJardine, LeMere, Butler, Campbell, O’Brien, LaPlante, Lautenbach, Orthober, and Searth. Many of these families still have a presence in Jacksonport.
Click or scan to see this page online
Leona (Cote) Grovogel attended Mass here for one hundred years, from 1899–1999.
Erected 2019 by Jacksonport Historical Society. (Marker Number 580.)
Location. 44° 58.536′ N, 87° 11.224′ W. Marker is in Jacksonport, Wisconsin, in Door County. Marker is at the intersection of Wisconsin Route 57 and Lakeside Lane, on the right when traveling north on State Route 57. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 6236 Hwy 57, Sturgeon Bay WI 54235, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Fitzie Heimdahl, September 10, 2019
3. St Michael the Archangel Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on March 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on March 26, 2020, by Fitzie Heimdahl of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 411 times since then and 19 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on March 26, 2020, by Fitzie Heimdahl of Eau Claire, Wisconsin. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.
