The “Chippewa City Church,” actually the Saint Francis Xavier Catholic Church, was built in 1895. According to the Cook County Historical Society, which is in the process of restoring the historic building, the church was constructed on land donated by Antoine and Antoinette Fillison. Money for the church was raised by basket socials, with baskets made out of birch bark by community members and filled with baked goods. Under the supervision of Father Specht, the building was constructed by Ojibwe carpenter Frank Wiskop with hand-hewn, dovetailed timber. It served as the only Catholic Church in Grand Marais from 1895 – 1916. The building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985. In 1998 the church building was donated to the Cook County Historical Society which began restoration. Major grants from the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa and the Minnesota Historical Society have helped, but there is much work to be done. The Cook County Historical Society is launching a campaign to restore and preserve this important piece of Cook County history. If you would like to learn more or would like to make a donation toward the restoration, contact Cook County Museum Director Carrie McHugh at (218) 387-2883 or email history@boreal.org.
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