JMD Building Restoration adds classic spires to Mariners’ Church of Detroit to recreate its historical look

DETROIT – If you were near the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel Saturday morning you may have noticed one of the oldest structures on Detroit’s riverfront getting a grand touch up.

Saturday, Mariner’s Church of Detroit placed the final two spires on their roof. The first two were installed just before the Grand Prix last month.

This restoration project for the historic church and state landmark has been more than 100 years in the making.

Stephen Trudeau, a trustee at the church said the church was established by the will of Julia Anderson after her death in 1842. It was built in 1849.

“The building was constructed as a place of worship for the sailors who were really the display system at the time. They were people who really had no place to worship to be married to be buried. And she wanted people like that to have a place to feel free to come,” Trudeau said.

Then in 1871, a storm knocked down the original wooden spires on the roof. Saturday, the church restored that feature.

“You can imagine in the 1800s there weren’t color pictures or really good drawings of the original spires. So we had to recreate them in size, shape, and form from basically old news photographs,” said Trudeau.

The new spires are 19 feet tall and weigh more than a thousand pounds. On the top, is a fleur-de-lis to represent the city’s French influence.

“The spires have been missing all that time. And as you know, in the 50s the church was moved from its location with the city county building was over to here,” Trudeau said. “And so we consider we’re really completing a project that started a long, long, long time ago.”

He also believes the project sends a message to everyone who drives by that the church is still standing and there for people who want to worship and celebrate.