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| The Blue Chapel On this site stood the Blue Chapel. The Blue Chapel, so named because of the painted blue ceiling, was the first church of St. Raphael's Parish. It was a sturdy little building of weathered logs. The chapel was built in 1789 by Father Alexander Macdonell (Scotus). Father Macdonell emigrated in 1786 from the north of Scotland with the majority of his parishioners on the ship "MacDonald". These Roman Catholic Highlanders had elected to settle near their Loyalist kindred in Upper Canada. The Blue Chapel was the place of worship of St. Raphaels and surrounding area until 1821, when the larger church was completed. This plaque is in memory of Angus A. and Marjorie (Mackenzie) Macdonell, longtime parishioners of St. Raphael's Parish. Their ancestors came from the Mohawk Valley and settled in this area in 1784. It has been erected by their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren in an effort to preserve the early history of the Parish of St. Raphaels. |
