Founded:
Originally the Catholic parish of St. Mary's, founded in 1907, the church was built to support the local French Canadians who had moved into the area for mill work. However over the years the mills closed down, slowly draining the patronage of the parish.
In 2000, when its duties as a parish ended, the church at St. Mary's was sold to the community for $1. The building then that it began its role as the Franco-American Heritage Center.
Mission:
The mission of the Franco-American Heritage Center is to celebrate and preserve the Franco-American heritage while welcoming the cultures of our neighbors.
Facilities:
The parish at St. Mary's dates back to 1907. At the time, many French-speaking Canadians were moving into the area for the mill work available in town. Many years later, however, as the mills started closing, the parish came onto difficult financial times and so it soon fell to the hands of the Franco-American Heritage Center to prevent the building from deteriorating.
The Heritage Center now serves as a performing arts and cultural venue, still in its original downtown Lewiston location.