St. Patrick's Church

St. Patrick Church began in 1879 with visits from Father Clement Krebs, pastor at St. Agatha Church in Gagetown. It later became a mission of St. Elizabeth in Reese, Sacred Heart in Brown City, and most recently, SS. Peter and Paul in North Branch. In 1884 the Diocese of Detroit acquired property here and built this simple Gothic-inspired church. The stained-glass windows admit light into the sanctuary and honor the parish’s Irish founders. Father Krebs presided over the first wedding in the partially completed church in August 1886. St. Patrick’s originally served the communities of Marlette, North Branch, Mayville, Kingston, Silverwood and Wilmot. Among the pastors who served the parish was the Father Charles Coughlin, who ministered here in 1924-1925 and later gained notoriety as “the Radio Priest” in Royal Oak.