Remember when?
This real-photo postcard, identified as "Methodist Church, Iron River, Mich. No. 10 1908," was postmarked in Iron River on Sept. 14, though the year is not indicated. The original church site is now occupied by the U.S. Post Office. (Menominee Range Historical Museum photos)
This unused real-photo postcard, dating approximately from 1938 to 1945, shows the First Methodist Episcopal Church at the corner of Fifth and Maple streets in Iron River, later known as St. Paul's Methodist Church and Wesley Union Methodist Church.
This real-photo postcard, identified as "Methodist Church, Iron River, Mich. No. 10 1908," was postmarked in Iron River on Sept. 14, though the year is not indicated. The original church site is now occupied by the U.S. Post Office. (Menominee Range Historical Museum photos)
This unused real-photo postcard, dating approximately from 1938 to 1945, shows the First Methodist Episcopal Church at the corner of Fifth and Maple streets in Iron River, later known as St. Paul's Methodist Church and Wesley Union Methodist Church.
Trending
This week’s “Remember when?” feature -- provided by the Menominee Range Historical Museum of Iron Mountain -- traces the history of the Methodist congregation in Iron River, from its beginnings in the 1890s through its merger with another congregation in 1957.
The Methodist congregation was organized around 1892. The Rev. John Murdock was appointed in September 1894 by the Detroit Conference to serve Iron River.
The First Methodist Church was formally organized on Oct. 11, 1894.
Without a building of its own, the congregation held services in other churches and buildings.
The arrival of the Rev. F.A. Moon in 1898 helped the congregation take a major step forward.
Just 22 years old, Moon brought enthusiastic leadership to the growing church. With land donated by the McKinnon brothers, founders of Iron River, the congregation built its own place of worship. The church was dedicated in early summer 1900.
Over the next several decades, the church underwent additional changes.
During the pastorate of the Rev. W.B. Coombe, from 1918 to 1920, the building was moved onto a new basement immediately west of its original location.
In 1938, the church was relocated to Fifth and Maple streets, and the congregation later adopted the name St. Paul’s Methodist Church.
The former church site on West Genesee Street was eventually used for the construction of the Iron River Post Office.
The congregation’s history took another turn on June 1, 1957, when St. Paul’s Methodist Church merged with First Methodist Church of Stambaugh. The united congregation became known as Wesley Union Methodist Church.
—
“Remember when?” appears every Wednesday in The Daily News. Those with suggestions or historical photographs they would like to submit can email Terri Castelaz at tcastelaz@ironmountaindailynews.com.