Known as The Church in the Woods and Guardian Angel Mission, it was Built by early Native American Catholics
Log Church - Saints Mary and Joseph Church, Sawyer Minnesota
History of the Church in the Woods
This church was built in 1859 (1884?) for the use of an Indian Catholic congregation. It has been used continuously since then by the Catholic Church.Its walls are made of hewn logs ("hewed" in Minnesota), chinked with lime mortar. The gables and belfry are of square edge siding. On the inside of the church the ceiling has beaded boards.
The belfry is supported on four posts placed in front of the entrance so that the doorway is between two of the posts. In the church gable is a six-pane sash set askew in the wall and not adding anything to the good appearance of the old log structure of frontier days.
Around 1911 an addition was built at one side of the church, apparently for use as a sanctuary and priest's room.
In 1967 a new, brick church building was built next door where regular services have been held since. Restoration of the Log Church was completed in 2019 and it is used for special services.
