St. Michael the Archangel

Inspired by heaven and hewn from the earth, St. Michaels unique design embodies the dreams of immigrants for a better life now and in the world to come.

Simon William Gabriel Bruté de Rémur, bishop of the Vincennes diocese, authorized the founding of a parish in Madison in 1837. He appointed Father Michael E. Shawe as the first resident pastor, and St. Michael the Archangel's first mass was held on December 22, 1839. 

Local legend has it that the church was built from the stone cut for the railroad incline on the west end of Madison since many of the early parishioners were Irish immigrants working on the railroad. There is, however, an old quarry above the church that may prove a more likely source.

St. Michael's is one of the oldest buildings used as a Catholic church in the state and the oldest gothic-revival style building in Indiana. The pointed-arched windows are a key component of this style of architecture. Inside the building, the ceiling is a rare ogee-arch “open book” ceiling, symbolizing the word of God as an open bible and showcasing the Gothic Revival style. 

In 1865, the church's nave was extended 30 feet to the north. As the church was built on a slope, most of the addition was under grade, with the stained glass window in the apse being just inches above grade.

The building also houses an 1895 organ, numerous beautiful statues, and many paintings.