Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish, Lansing at 3815 S Cedar St., Lansing, MI 48910-4501 US - IHM's Beginning

Immaculate Heart of Mary is located on a site once known as the Jessop Farm. A large white house was built on top of the hill around the turn of the century by Edwin Jessop, who with a friend established the first shoe store in Lansing. Nearby Jessop Avenue is named for him. (The stone wall in the picture look familiar?) On March 12, 1949 the Diocese of Lansing purchased 14 lots on South Cedar Street for $33,000. At the time, the property was not in the City of Lansing, but was in Lansing Township. On the property were the old Jessop house, which had been enlarged and converted to a tavern, the Maple Hill Inn. There was also a cement block building and a gas station on the property. On July 1, 1949 Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish was officially established. On July 19, Fr. Joseph E. Wieber was named the first pastor. Immaculate Heart began with about two hundred families. It took a great deal of renovation to turn the Maple Hill Inn into a church. Most of the flooring, wiring and plumbing had to be replaced. There was even the need to get rid of more than a few rats from the old building. The second floor was turned into living quarters for Fr. Wieber, who had to climb upstairs by a ladder through much of the renovation. Several men of the parish worked through the night of October 22, 1949 to finish laying tile in the church so that it would be ready for the first Mass the next morning. At 8:00 a.m. the first Mass started slightly late because Fr. Wieber had to escort out his dachshund which had come to join his master for Mass.

(Back)