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An engineering marvel, Saint Mary's Church was built in the form of a cross 190 feet (58 m) long and 135 feet (41 m) wide with a spire reaching 185 feet (56.4 m) above the surrounding countryside. It is the largest wooden church in North America and some even argue the world.
The steeple was originally 200 feet (60.6 m) tall but the church was struck by lightning in 1914 and the top 15 feet (4.5 m) of the steeple were lost to fire.
The construction of the church, which took place from 1903 to 1905, was supervised by Léo Melanson, a master carpenter from Little Brook who, though he could neither read nor write, could follow the architect's plans and alter them as needed throughout the construction.
The tall columns within the church are actually entire trees! The tall trees, taken from the area were covered with layers of jute and plaster and then originally painted to look like marble for a most impressive effect.
Due to its awesome size and its exposure to the strong winds that come up off Saint Mary's Bay, the steeple was often swayed back and forth. To better secure the structure, forty tons of rock ballast were placed in the steeple.
The forty-one stained glass windows, the three bronze bells in the steeple, the main altar and the scenes of the Stations of the Way of the Cross were all imported from France, while a crystal chandelier in the center aisle was taken from the original church built in 1829.
The breathtaking church is now a museum and offers bilingual guided tours. This historical place of worship is a favorite stop for tour buses. The church also houses two exhhibit rooms displaying various artifacts from years long past in the church's history. Religious vestments, items used during mass and other similar artifacts such as religious furnishings are also exhibited while some more rare or precious items are displayed in glass cabinets.
During your visit to the church be sure to browse through the gift shop where you can find various souvenirs and religious items such as rosaries, bibles,souvenir coins, bookmarks, religious medals and much more.
Admission: $2 Adult, $5 Family
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