Image from: Wikipedia.org
The twin steeples of Ste. Anne de Detroit Catholic Church, and the gothic pinnacles of Our Lady of the Assumption Church, are like two sisters looking at each other across the jade current of the Detroit River. They are the grande dames of French Detroit.
My grandparents were married at Assumption Church in Windsor Ontario and so it's always been special to me. Assumption is the slightly younger sister that's held up well these last two hundred and eighty four years. Surrounded by a campus of trees and gardens today, this parish was established in 1728 as a mission to the local native tribes, and was first called, "The Mission of Our Lady of the Assumption among the Hurons of Detroit."
In 1765 the mission grew to include the French settlers on the south shore of the river and was renamed, Parish of Our Lady of the Assumption. A frame church was erected near the river in 1767 and in October of that year a new Register of Baptisms and Marriages was opened.
The cornerstone of the current church was laid in 1842 on land donated by the Hurons. Since then the original French settlers were joined by people from around the world, and Assumption Church Windsor remains an important part of the community. It is the oldest continuous parish in Ontario.
I found the information for this post at the Assumption Church website.
http://www.assumption.rcec.london.on.ca/history.html
There is also a webpage for donations toward the preservation of this very special church.
http://assumptionheritagetrust.org/
And, if you'd like to see some wonderful photos of Assumption's interior:
http://www.internationalmetropolis.com/2008/10/01/assumption-church/
Vivian
http://amzn.to/zVsVDZ