Hidden on the Northern Maine Border Is a Stunning 1900s Church Turned Museum

Looks European, but this Catholic Church is in Maine

Wow, this church is stunning!

In English, this is the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel or in French, Musee Culturel du Mont-Carmel, located in the top of Maine in the town of Lille.

According to sah.archipedia.org, this church was built in 1910 by the Acadian French.

Leonide Gagne wanted to keep the Acadian culture, so the church looks European by design.

According to mainepresevervation.org, Gagne simplified the original plan and changed the overall style from Romanesque to Ancient Roman.

This church is the most intact and architecturally significant of the surviving historic wooden churches constructed along the St. John River.

The Baroque belfry of the building is the "piece de resistance."  Think angels holding trumpets on each side, with statues of Our Lady of Mount Carmel.

Everything about this church is stunning.  The windows have simple wood moldings, with ornate double arches above.

The church itself was founded in 1848.  The original chapel sat 6 miles up the St. John River from the town of Van Buren.

The Diocese of Portland closed the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in 1978 due to high maintenance costs.  Thankfully, the following year, the building was sold to a non-profit established to save the building.

It has since been restored and has turned into a museum of Acadian History.

You are able to visit the church during the Summer months and all the information is here on their Facebook page. 

If you want to visit the Church, it's about 5 and a half hours away from Portland, so "gas up the car, Margaret.  We're going to see God."