Fr. Stan Fraser

Interim-Priest in-charge

St. Mary's Church: History

St. Mary's Church was built in the early years of the twentieth century as a gift of the sons of Hiram and Mary Walker in memory of their parents/ As the proprietors of a company town, the Walkers did not neglect any aspect of the residents' lives including their spiritual welfare.

The present St. Mary's replaces an earlier building on Riverside Drive and is the architectural partner of nearby Willistead Manor, originally the home of one of the sons, Edward and his wife, Mary Walker. The church was consecrated in 1904 by the Bishop of Huron. A dedication panel is carved into the wall next to the pulpit. The Walker family commissioned the Boston, Massachusetts architectural company of Cram, Goodhue and Ferguson, soon to be a leader in church design, to erect this building of great beauty and inspiration.