Memorial visit to Monroe Michigan

For Memorial Day this year we took a day trip surrounding the ward where my Grandparents Phyllis (Newbold) and Lee McBride served their mission 27 years ago, Monroe Michigan. It's just an hour south of us, but it seemed like a totally different world than Metro Detroit. Farmlands, American flags, and historic markers of the 1812 Frenchtown Battles, or River Raisin battle were hard to miss.

First we stopped by the Monroe chapel which was built just after Phyllis and Lee went home from their mission. They were able to return for the dedication around 1986. I looked up the ward website and saw that they were having a Memorial Day breakfast, so I called the ward office last Sunday to find out what time breakfast started so we could crash the party and ask around about the McBride's.

Monroe Ward

Everyone welcomed us and served us huge omelets to order. We met a brother and sister who were primary age back then and remembered the McBride Missionaries. The most vivid memories they had though were of the old ward "meetinghouse" which some people recalled as a motorcycle club, others a barn, and others thought it was a bar. The primary met in the basement among spider webs, concrete and floor drains. One girl called it "scary." The river Raisin is just behind the church and moms and leaders would always warn children after church, "Don't go to the river!" We learned that just as we were driving up to the church, Brother Schwartz, who most likely served with Grandpa in the bishopric, was driving away to see a movie. I was disappointed, but I'd like to go back to Monroe to stay longer and visit with more members.

One of the members was able to direct us to the old building, which is now someone's house. I snapped some quick pictures from the side of the road and imagined gray haired Grandpa Lee and snow capped Grandma Phyllis welcoming people inside with big smiles.

Old Monroe Meetinghouse in Grape Michigan

We also met a brother of the Monroe Ward who is a contractor for the church and renovated the Greek Orthodox Church in Detroit where our Palmer Park Ward meets. It's a small world!

Monroe County Scenery across the street from the old meetinghouse

Sheets of rain prevented us from exploring downtown Monroe on foot, but I was able to capture the 100 year old statue of General Custer from the car window.

More "unrelated" adventures from our outing here.