A Little Wesley History
Wakefield History coming soon...
Methodism took root in the mining town of Ironwood in 1886 with the founding of the Finnish Methodist Church. The town grew rapidly with thousands of immigrants coming from Finland, England (principally from the Cornwall region), Italy, as well as some from Poland. Drawn by the huge logging and iron-mining boom, Ironwood grew rapidly from a cluster of wooden houses surrounded by mine head-frames to a bustling community of 20,000 at the time of World War I. Four Methodist churches were built to serve these immigrant communities. The original First Methodist Church largely ministered to immigrants from England.
In 1909, a fire destroyed First United Methodist’s frame building and a new granite building was erected on the same McLeod Street site in 1910 [picture of the cornerstone]. This building was dedicated in two identical services by the Rev. Dr. Samuel Plantz, President of Lawrence College of Appleton, WI. In 1950, as part of the merger of First Methodist and Grace Methodist, the building was re-named Wesley Methodist Church and the Chancel interior was completely remodeled with all-new oak furnishings and a new pipe organ by the M.P. Moller company (#8259) was installed. The original 1910 pews are still in use every Sunday.
Our Building
For over 108 years, the Wesley United Methodist Church building has served both the parish and Ironwood communities. In 2017, one of the original ceiling/roof trusses broke, and detailed engineering inspections revealed that others were bending. Shoring scaffolding was put in place to prevent a roof failure and plans were developed to construct a new truss in place in the church attic. This was completed during the summer of 2018, and the Wesley congregation was able to once again worship together in their historic space. The total cost for this repair came to over $250,000.
Thanks to generosity of members, donors, communities and UMC District, in August of 2023 Wesley held a Worship celebration praising God because all debts and loans for the Roof Project were paid early and in full. Pastor Emeritus Jean Rencontre officiated and honored guests were Dr. and Mrs. Pogliano, without whose engagement and encouragement the project seemed impossible. By December of 2023, funds had been raised for installation of a new furnace/boiler, and again, the debts were paid ahead of schedule.
Our Pipe Organ
The pipe organ at Wesley Church is a remarkable instrument from the American firm of M.P. Moller, of Hagerstown, MD. For over a century, the Moller firm was recognized as not only the largest organ manufacturer in the United States, but also (during certain time periods) as a leader in creating instruments of superior craftsmanship and tonal beauty. Built as Moller’s Opus #8259 in 1951, this 3 manual, 23 rank instrument is remarkable in that no changes have ever been made to it—it functions and sounds exactly as it was made in 1951. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, Moller produced truly excellent instruments--which were at that time somewhat influenced by organ building ideas from England—especially that rich “English Cathedral” sound characteristic of the great English builders Willis and Harrison & Harrison. A great many of the Mollers built during the time of the Wesley installation are now either changed beyond recognition or simply no longer extant. Thus, Wesley #8259 provides a very valuable tonal link to the immediate post WWII period in American cultural and religious life. With its very delicate string-toned stops, through its two complete Diapason choruses and powerful Trumpet pipes, the Wesley Moller’s ability as a hymn leader is unsurpassed. Getting old and a bit fragile now, #8259 nevertheless maintains its status as one of the finest pipe organs in the Western Upper Peninsula.
Your Gifts Bridge Our Past and Future!
Wesley’s Goals for 2025 include:
- Additional repairs to the heating system
- Maintenance required to keep our Pipe Organ in excellent condition
- Addressing the obstacles for Building Accessibility (grants, funds, options for an Elevator)