House of worship, Detroit, since 1926
St. Matthias Episcopal Church
Standing, closed
- Opened
- 1926
- Style
- Gothic Revival
- Standing
- 100 years
Designed by Verner, Wilhelm & Molby
St. Matthias Episcopal Church has stood on Vinewood St in Detroit since 1926, 100 years and counting. Who built it, what makes it special and how to see it for yourself.
St. Matthias Episcopal Church today, from the street
What is there now
Standing, closed
- Closed Source: Historic Detroit
We checked building permits, sales, listings and the city's blight and demolition files on October 25, 2026. Nothing new at this address in the last two years.
The story
In 1926, in the years Detroit became the Motor City and built like it meant to stay on top, St. Matthias Episcopal Church opened.
Credit the design to Verner, Wilhelm & Molby, in the Gothic Revival style.
Its doors are closed for now, but the building still stands.
Go see it at 6855 Vinewood St. Photos never get the scale right.
Timeline
- 1926 Built Designed by Verner, Wilhelm & Molby
- 2026 Today Standing, closed
Where it is
6855 Vinewood St
On this map
- 1 St. Matthias Episcopal Church This place
- 2 Northwestern High School (old) 0.1 mi
- 3 YMCA (Fisher Branch) 0.1 mi
- 4 Lee Plaza 0.4 mi
- 5 Olympia Stadium 0.5 mi
- 6 Scovel Memorial Presbyterian Church 0.5 mi
- 7 Orsel and Minnie McGhee House 0.5 mi
- 8 Rosa L. and Raymond Parks Flat 0.6 mi
- 9 Nacirema Club 0.6 mi
Street map from OpenStreetMap contributors
Who made it
Redford Theatre, by Verner, Wilhelm & Molby. Photo: Dave Parker, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Architect
Verner, Wilhelm & MolbyArchitecture firm. Designed the Redford Theatre (1928) and 6 more in Metro Detroit
Also by Verner, Wilhelm & Molby
- Harry W. Fauver House 1923
- Monnier Elementary School 1924
- Holcomb Elementary School 1925
- Hubert School 1925
- McKerrow School 1927
- Redford Theatre 1928
More from Detroit in the 1920s
-
Belcrest Apartments
Building, built 1926, Neo-Romanesque, by Charles N. Agree
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Broderick Tower
Structure, built 1927, Beaux Arts, by Louis Kamper
Photo: St8fan, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Buhl Building
Skyscraper, built 1925, Neo-Romanesque, by Wirt C. Rowland
Photo: I, Mikerussell, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Cadillac Tower
Structure, built 1927, Late Gothic Revival, by Bonnah & Chaffee
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Chateau Frontenac
Building, built 1925, Mediterranean, by J. Will Wilson, demolished 1999
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
-
Westin Book Cadillac Hotel
Hotel, built 1924, Neo-Renaissance, by Louis Kamper
Photo: Antony-22, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Around the block
- Northwestern High School (old) School, built 1912, by Malcomson & Higginbotham, demolished 1980 0.1 mi
- YMCA (Fisher Branch) Building, built 1929, Lombardy, by Albert Kahn 0.1 mi
-
Lee Plaza
Building, built 1927, Art Deco, by Charles Noble
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.4 mi
-
Olympia Stadium
Stadium, built 1927, by C. Howard Crane, demolished 1986
Photo: Carla Anderson, Historic American Buildings Survey, no known restrictions, via Library of Congress
0.5 mi
- Scovel Memorial Presbyterian Church Monument, built 1898, demolished 2005 0.5 mi
-
Orsel and Minnie McGhee House
Built 1912
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.5 mi
-
Rosa L. and Raymond Parks Flat
Building, built 1917, Craftsman
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.6 mi
-
Nacirema Club
Building, built 1920, American Foursquare
Photo: Andrew Jameson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
0.6 mi
Photo credits
Every photo on this page is used under its license, named here with its author and a link to the original.
- St. Matthias Episcopal Church from the street today Photo: Street View, 2019
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.