St. Raphael's

St. Raphael's was founded by Reverend Alexander Macdonell (Knoydart, Glengarry, Scotland) in 1786 when he along with 608 Scottish Highland pioneers, migrated to the area to begin a new life.

The church was built beginning in 1815 and was consecrated in 1821. At the time, it was the largest church in Upper Canada (as well as the first Catholic Church) and known as the Blue Chapel for it's blue roof. Until the 1840s it was the largest and most important parish in the area. At one point it had more than 6000 parishioners including a lawyer named John S. Macdonald, who later became the first premier of Ontario in 1867. Macdonald's family home lies next to the land on which the church is built, land his family donated to allow its construction in the 1830s.

In August 1970, a fire, whose cause is unknown, left only the walls remaining. The site remains a monument to the faith and determination of the Scottish highlanders who came to the area. In 1974, the site was designated a historical landmark by the Ontario Heritage Foundation. Unfortunately the OHF has not done any work nor provided any funds to date.

In 1994 a local group calling themselves The Friends of the Ruins of St. Raphaels Inc formed a non-profit group dedicated to raising money to stabilize the walls of the Ruins. In 1999 the group raised $300,000 through private donations and government funding to stop erosion and water damage. Another $500,000 is still needed though.