Saint Rose Catholic Church 2002

Replica of Saint Rose Church, wood, acrylic, 10" x 20" x 5"2

French Gulch, California  1899.

This was my first piece, inspired by my visit to this lovely setting in Northern California’s Trinity Mountains. I have always loved simple wooden churches. The symmetry and weathered yet pristine whiteness of this building spoke to me through the arched doors and windows pointing to the heavens. Perhaps I was also inspired by my Grandfather Leonce Charron , who constructed Several churches in New Brunswick and Quebec Canada. All of these churches still stand today.

What heartbreak I felt, along with the community of French Gulch, when in 2003 I learned that the church had been burned to the ground by arson in 1998. All that is left today is the historic marker placed on the site only four years before the fire, and a peaceful cemetery.

Additional Information

• Current status and history of the church
• Video of the historic French Gulch tavern and museum
• French Gulch gold mining history
• National register of historic sites in Shasta and Trinity counties
• Mining history of the French Gulch district

Tags: architecture, art, building in the past, california, church, churches, destroyed buildings, Historic preservation, history, minatures, miniature architecture, miniature buildings, models, paul charron, saint rose catholic church, wooden structures