Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church - Frenchtown, MT - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

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Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church - Frenchtown, MT

in American Guide Series

Posted by:  T0SHEA

11T E 710634 N 5210290

Ostensibly designed by a ship's carpenter, this church's cornerstone was laid in June of 1884. It has been used for services ever since, making it Montana's oldest Catholic church in continuous use. It has held up well for a wood frame building.

FRENCHTOWN, 89.7 m. (3,027 alt., 187 pop.), lies (L) in a rich valley. The spire and cross of its weather-beaten old church are its most prominent landmarks. It has an appearance of calm that is belied by the vigor and aggressiveness of its inhabitants, who are mostly of French-Canadian descent. Local children still begin their schooling with little understanding of the English language. St. Jean is the patron saint of the parish, and his day, June 24th, is noisily celebrated.


Montana: A State Guide Book, 1939
Note that the name has been Anglicized in the intervening years, changing from St. Jean to St. John. The guide book stated that the building appeared "weather-beaten" already in 1939. It was, however, already 55 years old at the time, having had its cornerstone laid on June 24th of 1884. Restoration of the church wouldn't come about for a few more decades. Today it looks to be very well preserved and well taken care of. It is, of course, still in use, hosting weekly masses.

French-speaking immigrants from Quebec and eastern Canada settled here in the Missoula Valley in the late 1850s. By 1864, French-Canadian Catholics worshiped in a crude log chapel, the second church in Montana Territory established for non-Native Americans. The Rev. S. J. Tremblay, the community’s first secular priest, arrived from Montreal in 1884 and at once realized the need for a larger church. The cornerstone was laid during the St. John’s Day Celebration in June of that year. Ship’s carpenter Lugar Forast is credited with the design. All labor and materials were furnished by the parish community. Built at a cost of $8,000, St. John the Baptist Catholic Church was dedicated on August 10, 1884.

Montana’s oldest Catholic church in continuous use, its simple plan recalls classical revival traditions. Its arched doors and windows, bell-capped tower, and barrel vaulted ceiling are reminiscent of late Romanesque style. The bell, installed in 1885, carries a dedication inscribed in French. A winding staircase constructed with wooden pegs and magnificent carpentry grace the interior. The red, white, and blue color scheme commemorates the French national flag. Original pews, numbered and divided for individual families, remain in place.

In an attempt to maintain French heritage, from 1914 to 1922 the Sisters of Providence staffed an academy under the auspices of St. John’s offering children a Christian education taught in French. Although the community now embraces cultural diversity, St. John’s remains a heritage landmark and a tribute to its founding families.
From the NRHP Plaque