Church History
The History of Immaculate Conception Church
The Milan Catholic community began in Milan Township in Monroe county in 1854 when an acre of land on Welch Road was given to Peter Paul Lefevere, Bishop of Detroit, for a church. under the title of St. Mary's, a modest wooden church was built. A section of the donated land was designated as St. Mary's Cemetery, which continues to be maintained by Immaculate Conception's Knights of Columbus Howard Heath Council 7587.
By 1900, use of the country church had been discontinued and Mass was celebrated in homes in Milan. Unable to achieve Parochial status, Milan became a mission Parish of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wittaker. Soon after Rev. Lawrence H. Soest became pastor of Wittaker, he met the the lay leaders in Milan to discuss building a church. Twenty-five Catholic families with the help of good-hearted Protestants began the construction in 1911 of the first Immaculate conception Church. This new $5000 structure was dedicated in July 1912