Revisiting and exploring St. Margaret Mary Church in Detroit, Michigan.

Bishop Gallagher was eager to establish churches in areas that were developing. Bishop Gallagher pushed the congregation to have another church built. Father John Koelzer was asked to start a sister parish to St. Bernard's Church in the developing area to the north of it, a parish that would become St. Margaret Mary Church. (Ref: Terre Haute Tribune, July 9, 1977)


Bishop Gallagher was eager to establish churches in areas that were developing. Bishop Gallagher pushed the congregation to have another church built. Father John Koelzer was asked to start a sister parish to St. Bernard's Church in the developing area to the north of it, a parish that would become St. Margaret Mary Church. (Ref: Terre Haute Tribune, July 9, 1977)

St. Margaret Mary was established in 1923 as a Catholic church.. The church was both designed by Donaldson & Meier as a brick building. Father Koelzer remained as pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church until 1938. (Ref: Seasons of Grace: A History of the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit)

St. Margaret Mary Church was built as a square C-shape building in similar for to a U-shape/horseshoe building. St. Margaret Mary Church is an example of Spanish Colonial style building revival. The building itself was 2 story a building measuring at 80 feet x 120 feet. The church and school were both designed by Donaldson & Meier.

St. Margaret Mary Parochial School was built in 1923 as a brick building. St. Margaret Mary Parochial School educated students in grades 1 through 8 and St. Margaret Mary Church was a Catholic church. Father Koelzer remained as pastor of St. Margaret Mary Church until 1938. (St. Margaret Mary Church and St. Margaret Mary Parochial School was also known as St. Margaret Mary Church and Parochial School.)

Many Italians and Sicilians made up the congregation of St. Margaret Mary Church hence the huge Italian-American population. St. Margaret Mary Church was soon a thriving parish thanks to the newly prosperous working class. The growth of Detroit brought in an even more diverse population. (Ref: Catholic Churches of Detroit)


St. Margaret Mary Church closed in 1972 due to the parish shrinking. The parish had shrunk even further to a mere 83 members by then. That number soon dwindled down to 50 by 1972. The building was due for many costly repairs as structures were in an advanced state of decay. The church was abandoned in 1973. (Ref: http://www.bishopgallagher.org/2012/02/heritage-lost-st-margaret-mary-school-detroit.html)

Hill of Calvary Missionary Baptist Church bought the church property in 1984 from the Detroit Archdiocese. Hill of Calvary Missionary Baptist Church would use this church until 2012. The congregation used the church for nearly 30 years.

The church was burglarized and set on fire in an attempt of arson in 2012. The church itself became a victim of arson. Arson damage prevented the members from using the building anymore after the year 2012 and has been vacant ever since. Windows were boarded up tightly with plywood. (Ref: https://www.nailhed.com/2015/07/wherever-two-or-three-are-gathered-in.html)

Today St. Margaret Mary Church is one of Detroit’s most well known eyesores. Much work needs to be done if revitalization were to happen. For now, this once popular church and place of sacred worship remain abandoned.

St. Margaret Mary Church is located at 5095 Lemay Street, Detroit, Michigan, US 48213.