National Historic Site Since 1990: Lansing’s St. Mary Cathedral: 1913

Just down the street from the State Capitol building in downtown Lansing is another of Lansing’s historic sites.

St. Mary Cathedral, just one block north of the Capitol at 229 Seymour Street, had rumblings back in 1866 when the St. Mary Church was dedicated in Lansing, just a tad north of the current church. As Lansing’s population grew, the need for a larger church became a necessity.

The church bought some land just down the road in 1900, and by 1903 a new church – although a temp – was built.

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It took another eight years - 1911 – before a permanent church began construction, completing in 1913.

1920s: Gothic details are added.
1923: Stained glass windows from Germany were installed.
1937: Church becomes the cathedral for the new Diocese of Lansing.
1938: Bishop Joseph Albers, collapses due to a rectory fire and rescued by firefighters. 1954: Some of the Gothic details are removed.
1967-1968: Removal of communion rail and side altars.
1986: Some of the things that were removed during the past 30 years are restored.

Currently, the church remains as both the mother church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lansing and an active parish.....and on November 2, 1990, Lansing’s St. Mary Cathedral was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.