WK. 14, PHOTO ESSAY, 'ST. ANNE'S, CALUMET, MI.'

CALUMET IN 1900 WAS A BOOMING TOWN IN THE CENTER OF MICHIGAN'S COPPER MINING INDUSTRY. THE LARGEST COMPANY IN THE REGION, THE CALUMET & HECLA OPERATED ITS WORKS BETWEEN THE VILLAGES THAT BECAME CALUMET AND LAURIUM. THE MINES DREW A DIVERSE POPULATION, INCLUDING CORNISH AND SCOTS, FINNS AND SWEDES, AND FRENCH CANADIANS. EXPERIENCING PROPERITY IN 1900, THE VILLAGE BUILT A GRAND THEATER AND FRENCH CANADIANS BUILT ST. ANNE'S CHURCH.
BUILT IN 1900 UNDER THE ADMINISTRATION OF THE REV. J. R. BOISSONAULT, THE FRENCH-CANADIAN CATHOLIC CHURCH WAS DEDICATED TO ST. ANNE. DESIGNES BY THE ARCHITECTURAL FIRM OF CHARLTON, GILBERT, AND DEMAR, THE STRUCTURE WAS BUILT OF RED SANDSTONE FROM THE JACOBSVILLE QUARRY IN THE GOTHIC STYLE WITH FRENCH GOTHIC ORNAMENT GENEROUSLY APPLIED.
TO SERVE THE TASTES OF THE FRENCH-CANADIAN PARISHIONERS, MANY OF CHURCH'S DETAILS ARE DERIVED FROM THE FLAMBOYANT OR RAYONNANT STYLE OF THE LATE GOTHIC PERIOD IN FRANCE. SACRED HEART CHURCH OF L'ANSE, MI. WAS ALSO DESIGNED BY THE CHARLTON FIRM.
THE SANDSTONE WAS CUT IN SQUARE AND RECTANGLE SHAPES, HAMMER DRESSED AND RAMDOMLY LAID. THE STONES OF THE PIERS, WATER TABLE AND WINDOW SURROUNDS ARE SMOOTHLY FINISHED AT THE EDGE AND HAMMER DRESSED TOWARD THE CENTER. THE STEPPED LANCET ARCHES OF THE PORTALS SHOW INDICATIONS OF HORIZONTAL TOOLING ON THE VERTICAL FACES OF THE ARCH.
DECONSECRATED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN 1966, THE CHURCH BRIERLY HOUSED A FLEE MARKET IN THE1980'S. BUT REMAINED VACANT OR UNDERUTILIZED FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES, AND OVER THAT TIME, THE STRUCTURE RECIEVED NO MAINTENANCE. ONLY IN THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS HAS THE KEWEENAW HERITAGE CENTER REVERSED THIS PATTERN OF NEGLECT THAT THREATENED ONE OF CALUMET'S MOST SIGNIFICANT AND DOMINANT STRUCTURES.