St. Ignatius Loyola Church

The roots of the Catholic Church in the Portage Lake area are associated with Bishop Frederic Baraga, the “Snowshoe Priest,” who dedicated the original St. Ignatius Loyola Church on July 31, 1859. Before the erection of that building, Catholics in Houghton worshipped in a boarding house and later a school. The present structure was completed in 1902, after four years of construction, under the direction of Father Anton Ivan Rezek. Father (later Monsignor) Rezek came as pastor in 1895 and remained in that position for fifty-one years. One of the most imposing edifices in Houghton, St. Ignatius Loyola Church features rock-faced sandstone facades. Beautiful stained glass windows and an elaborate Gothic altar adorn the breathtaking interior.