[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 74 (Thursday, May 23, 1996)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E892]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             HONORING GRATIOT PARK UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

                                 ______


                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, May 23, 1996

  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to the men and 
women of the Gratiot Park United Methodist Church in Port Huron, MI. 
This Sunday, I and many others from Michigan's Bluewater area will 
gather at the church to dedicate a marker celebrating the importance of 
that structure in the history of our community and our State.
  The origins of the Gratiot Park United Methodist congregation can be 
traced back to the time of the construction of Fort Gratiot in 1814, 
and the early days of the church are tied to the growth of the fort.
  Records of the time show that circuit riders regularly traveled 
through the wilderness to preach at Fort Gratiot. Accounts also 
indicate that the early congregation survived a devastating cholera 
outbreak in 1832 that nearly wiped out the entire territory.
  In 1859, the Reverend A.E. Ketchum established a Methodist class at 
the Fort Gratiot Mission. Brothers ventured to remote areas of Michigan 
seeking new members for the community.
  The site of today's Gratiot Park United Methodist Church was first 
surveyed in 1834, and changed ownership several times before being 
purchased in trust for the church in July 1866.
  In 1968, the church was formally renamed the Gratiot Park United 
Methodist Church.
  The Bluewater area is far different today than it was in the times of 
Fort Gratiot. Where once pioneers struggled to settle the land, today 
Port Huron is a thriving city and a growing center of commerce. But 
despite decades of change, the Gratiot Park United Methodist Church 
still stands as a part of our community and part of the lives of our 
people.
  It has seen the deep divisions created by the Civil War and witnessed 
the inventions of Thomas Edison.
  It has stood through the dawn of the Grant Trunk Railroad and the 
boom of the shipping and lumber industries and the growth of Port 
Huron.
  And through it all, the church and its congregation have stood as a 
source of strength and fellowship for the people of our area.
  Mr. Speaker, the marker that the Michigan Historical Center has 
affixed to this structure is a fitting tribute to the Gratiot Park 
United Methodist Church and a source of great pride for the entire Port 
Huron community.
  I hope that my colleagues will join me in recognizing this important 
designation.

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