The Butter Church

Description

On Comiaken Hill, overlooking Cowichan Bay, stands the landmark "The Butter Church†or “The Stone Church". One of the early catholic priests Father Peter Rondeault, built this landmark in 1870 with the help of the local Cowichan Indians. It is known as "The Butter Church" as he paid his helpers with funds raised from the sale of butter churned from his dairy herd on the mission's farm. It has been vacant and abandoned for most of its 144 years, the church was only used for ten years as Bishop Demers orderd a new church be built on land with clear title. The abandoned stone church has been repeatedly vandalized over the years. Repairs were attempted in 1922 and again in 1958 and 1980 when it was rebuilt as a cultural centre but the church rapidly reverted to the ghostly vandalized structure prominently situated on Comiaken Hill.

Taken By

Janis Morrison

Taken On

December 15, 2014

Tagged

butterchurch cowichanbay cowichan duncan history vancouverisland britishcolumbia church stonechurch stone catholic