A Brief History of St. Joseph’s Church

Founded 1855, a daughter parish of St. Mary’s in today’s Greektown neighborhood.

First wooden frame church built at corner of Gratiot and Orleans; first baptism January 1856.

Fr. Johann Friedland assigned to St. Joseph’s in 1863, appointed pastor soon after.
A school was built 1867.

Original rectory, which later became the IHM convent and finally the Gabriel Richard Institute, built 1865 and enlarged 1896. (The house now contains private apartments.)

Present church begun 1870, dedicated 1873; octagonal portion of tower completed 1883, bells installed soon after, spire completed 1892; sacristy expanded 1896.

Commercial College, later called St. Joseph's High School, built 1889.

Current rectory built 1896.

Death of Fr. Friedland, 1896.By the 1920s, the parish was no longer exclusively German.

St Joseph’s alone among Detroit’s many formerly German parishes still maintains a German language liturgy.

For images of St. Joseph's throughout its history, take a look at the Historical Tour.