In 1857 Fr. Paul Mary Ferreror Ponziglione established a Mission parish at Prairie City (approximately one mile southwest of Baldwin). This mission had 15 families, most of whom were Irish and French immigrants. Soon this mission moved one mile east to Liberty Hill.

Fr. Ponziglione journeyed to Prairie City on horseback from Osage Mission (now St. Paul, KS—southeast of Chanute).  He celebrated Mass once a month in the homes of non-Catholics, since the Catholics of the Mission lived in the country. As the Mission increased in size, Mass was celebrated more often.

On Liberty Hill in 1859, at a cost of about $400, Fr. Schacth built a small stone church about 20 x 30 feet. The name “Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary” was given to the parish.

In 1867 land was purchased for a Catholic cemetery, which became known as Mt. Calvary Cemetery. The oldest marked grave in the cemetery is that of Celestin Jardon: September 27, 1863. Mt. Calvary also served as the cemetery for the Ottawa parish until 1884.
 

A rectory was built by Fr. Swombergh in 1870, which was connected to the stone church. It was 16 X 34 feet, two-stories high, built of stone, and cost about $600. Some of the ruins of this structure stand to this day.

The 1870 rectory served as a home base for two or more priests, who would travel to mission parishes to administer the Sacraments. In the priests' home, for a short time, a Catholic school was established.

By 1893 the parish had outgrown the small stone church. For $1800, an A-frame church was erected, which still stands in Baldwin. It seated roughly 200 people.

In 1907, under the direction of Fr. Degan, the church was expanded to house a priest while he was in Baldwin. A choir loft was also constructed. At that time many improvements to the church were made. Stained glass windows were installed. A magnificent new altar was crafted, which soared 22 feet in the air. This altar had genuine onyx pillars and a quadruple-plated gold tabernacle door. A statue depicting the Annunciation was placed in the central niche. To commemorate the Irish and French heritage of the parishioners, statues of St. Patrick and St. Louis adorned the niches on the either side of the altar. A representation of the Last Supper filled a panel beneath the mensa of the altar. Rich velvet carpet was placed in the sanctuary. A Baptismal Font and Holy Water stoups were purchased, as was a new set of vestments for Mass, one of which is enshrined in the present-day church.

Following Vatican II in 1964, the laity were invited to proclaim the readings at Mass. Interestingly enough, the names of the first three volunteers were recorded: John Robson, Danny Rogers, and Don Shay. Unfortunately, misunderstandings of Vatican II led to the removal of the onyx high altar.

In the late 1980's, the parishioners of Annunciation, with their pastor Fr. Gerry Sheeds, purchased ten acres of land north of the intersection of Highway 56 & 6th Street.

Due to significant structural issues in the 1893 church, the present-day church was quickly constructed and dedicated in 1990. In addition to the church, the original plans included sketches of a rectory, a school and a convent.

Beginning in late 2009, pastoral council elections were held, parishioner data was migrated from note cards to church management software, a finance council was formed and an annual budget was created. Live plants now adorned the altar, a custom-made, celebrant's chair and servers' bench were commissioned, and a brilliant Crucifix was purchased~courtesy of the Altar Society. A new processional Cross and candlesticks were donated, and an altar Cross set, torches, patens and Paschal candlestick were acquired. The interior of the church was updated with colorful paint, new blinds, crown molding, the Hail Mary in Latin and antique Stations of the Cross, donated by parishioners in memory of loved ones. An entirely new audio system was installed in the church, as well as an audio-video system in the parish hall~courtesy of the Knights. The parish hall was painted, classrooms erected, a library established and playground equipment extracted from Baldwin's old elementary school. The parish website was entirely rebuilt, Oktoberfest initiated and summer camps for kids created. Monthly collections for the Baldwin Food Pantry began and the annual School Supply Drive was founded. Professional musicians were incorporated into the liturgies, ministers to the homebound trained and campus ministry at Baker begun. Eucharistic Adoration on first Sundays was introduced, high school and college students began teaching the faith to the parish youth, and the number of parish liturgies increased by 275%.

And the pastoral planning process begun in 2010 came to completion for Annunciation on Palm Sunday of 2011, when her Pastoral Plan was submitted to the Archdiocese. Soon afterwards, Annunciation was aligned with St. Francis in Lapeer, instead of Assumption in Edgerton. Desiring not only to provide shelter for her priest, but also outreach to college students, the parish purchased a house located next-door to Baker as the rectory for her first resident pastor in almost 150 years. As seen below, the basement of the rectory was retrofit in 2012-2013 to function as a campus center for Catholic students and all students of good will.
A Short History...