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House of worship, Medbury Park, since 1883

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church

Still standing, photographed 2023

Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), facade, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Opened
1883
Style
Romanesque Revival
Standing
143 years

Designed by Malcomson & Higginbotham

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church has stood on Woodward Ave. in Medbury Park since 1883, 143 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.

On the map

More photos of St. Joseph's Episcopal Church

Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), exterior, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church (8850 Woodward, Detroit, Michigan), 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), exterior, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

What is there now

Standing

We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 24, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.

The story

By Victoria Jackson, Editor in Chief Updated

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church opened in 1883, as Detroit's lumber, stove and shipbuilding money went into brick and stone.

The design came from Malcomson & Higginbotham, in the Romanesque Revival style.

It joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Go see it at 5930 Woodward Ave. Photos never get the scale right.

St. Joseph's Episcopal Church, now known as St. Matthew's-St.

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Timeline

  1. 1883 Built Designed by Malcomson & Higginbotham
  2. 1982 Listed on the National Register August 3, 1982
  3. 2026 Today 143 years and still standing

Where it is

5930 Woodward Ave.

On this map

  1. St. Joseph's Episcopal Church This place
  2. Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church (1883-1896) 60 ft
  3. Our Lady of the Rosary 100 ft
  4. Graphic Arts Building 510 ft
  5. Arena Gardens 0.1 mi
  6. 6001 Cass 0.1 mi
  7. Cass Motor Sales 0.2 mi
  8. New Amsterdam Historic District 0.2 mi
  9. Gleaners Temple 0.2 mi

Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors

Who made it

Malcomson & Higginbotham
Photo: Del arte at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Architect

Malcomson & Higginbotham

American architectural firm based in Detroit, Michigan, United States. Designed St. Joseph's Episcopal Church (1883) and 51 more in Metro Detroit

Also by Malcomson & Higginbotham

More from Detroit in the 1880s

Around the block

It is in Medbury Park. See the neighborhood's homes, pros and story.

Photo credits

Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.

  1. Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), facade, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  2. Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), exterior, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  3. Saint Joseph's Episcopal Church (8850 Woodward, Detroit, Michigan), 2008 Photo: Andrew Jameson at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  4. Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), exterior, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  5. Our Lady of the Rosary Church (Detroit, Michigan), cornerstone, 1890, 2023 Photo: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  6. The landmark St. Paul on the Lake Catholic Church, on Lakeshore Drive in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, 2008 Photo: Umdet, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sources

Facts only, gathered from these sources. The story above is written by Rebuild Detroit. Every photo names its author and license where it appears.