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LASALETTE HISTORIC CHURCH, "OUR LADY OF LASALLETTE PARISH HISTORY"
This church in particular has many haunting qualities because of the ancient history/story. The church is highly important to the village and has a lot of emotional responses associated with it (Douglas, 2021). Over the years, there had been three churches built in the area.
THE FIRST CHURCH
The first Catholic church was built around 1851, just two miles south of the village (Our Community LaSalette, Ontario, n.d). It was located on “Lot 22 Concession 9 on the Southern extreme on Concession Line” and was known as the Church of Windham (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). It was a wood building (presumably made of board and batten/frame construction), it held 300 people (35 families), the pews were cut from logs, and it was only 30’ x 50’ in shape (1500 sq.ft.) (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). People came from all over to attend (walked 24 miles) including from Norwich, Middleton, Windham, Port Dover, and even Woodstock/Ingersoll (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). This was the first Catholic church built in Norfolk County (Walker, 2014). It officially became Our Lady of LaSalette Parish around 1860, but, unfortunately, was said to be struck by lighting and burnt to the ground (Boone, 2021). Today, there is a stone, cross and gravestones placed here honoring the church and the people involved (Our Community LaSalette, Ontario, n.d).
REPEATED HISTORY
SECOND CHURCH
After this, “in 1878, a new parcel of land was purchased at Lot 22 Concession 8 in Windham to build the new church, rectory, and cemetery. This was to be the great work of Father Japes. He did a lot of work in an extremely short period of time, as the land had to be cleared” (Walker, 2014, p. 18). It was designed in 1877, built in 1897, and opened 1881 (Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Delhi, Ontario, 2016). The interior was simply beautiful with highly expensive materials, paintings and designs, it was 56’ x 130’ and had a spire 140’ tall (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). The build was worth $15,000-$20,000 and over 300,000 bricks were used. The church had many debts and it was a miracle it was paid in full (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). Unfortunately, once again on Easter weekend, 1913, the church caught fire and burned down to the ground. Many important relics were burned and ruined but some of them have been saved and are still standing today (highly fragile, eerie, property of the Virgin Mary). The cost of the fire damage was $40,000 and the cause is still unknown today (Walker, 2014).
THIRD AND FINAL DESIGN
The final church was built on the same site and original foundation immediately following the fire and opened April 23, 1914 (Walker, 2014). It was designed by Mr. Dietrick from Detriot to resemble the Gothic Revival architectural style (Doors Open Norfolk, 2009). The interior is, “remarkably enhanced with a vaulted arrangement incorporating a striking pendentive treatment which allows for a spacious interior absent of obstructive columns” and comfortably seats 500 people (Coles, 2004). There are also breathtaking, eighteen-foot high, hand sculpted/coloured stain glass windows along the west and east sides of the church (Doors Open Norfolk, 2009). The altar design was also inspired by the Gothic style and incorporated gold detailing and elegant candlestick holders. The pews within are made from solid oak that was imported from Berlin, and it uses both gas and electric lighting systems with brass rods/chains, being highly unique for country churches (Our Lady of LaSalette Parish, 1979). The exterior incorporates, “an elaborate corbelled masonry eave projections and a beautiful octagonal tower” and specially imported brick (Coles, 2004). It was used as a church for many years before closing somewhere between 2004-2009, merging with the Delhi church (formally St. John Brebeuf, now known as Our Lady Queen of Martyrs Parish). Since 2012, the church belongs to the LaSalette community (Walker, 2014). Although no longer used as a church, this building still stands today and is used for community events (concerts, funeral visitations, etc) and in 2014, it celebrated its 100th year anniversary. The church can be described today as, “the finest equipped church in Ontario” (Walker, 2014, p. 43), the “oldest church in Norfolk County” (Diocese of London, n.d.), and “the best neo-Gothic Revival style [church] in Southern Ontario” (Walker, 2014, p. 66).
