Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site
National Register of Historic Places

Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site

Daniel, Sublette County, Wyoming
Listed
April 27, 1970
Type
Site
Period
Early Republic
Ref No.
70000676

About this property

Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site, located about one mile east of Daniel, Wyoming, is the site of the first Catholic mass in Wyoming. The mass was conducted on July 5, 1840, by Jesuit missionary Pierre-Jean De Smet. A congregation of 2,000 people, composed of Native Americans, trappers, and traders from the region, attended the service. A stone altar was constructed for the mass and a granite cross enclosed by a small chapel was later added to the altar site. The service was one of the earliest Christian religious ceremonies conducted in the Rocky Mountain region. The Prairie Mass Site lies approximately at the confluence of the Green River and its tributary Horse Creek. A commemorative mass is celebrated on the 2nd Sunday after the 4th in July every year at 10:00 AM MST. Mass is facilitated by the parish Our Lady of Peace located in Pinedale, WY. The site was added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 28, 1970.

Location

Daniel, Sublette County, Wyoming
42.86941, -110.04213

Categories

RELIGION
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Native Heritage
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Settlement
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Nearby Historic Sites

Upper Green River Rendezvous Site
Listed
0.4 mi
Daniel School
Industrial
1.7 mi
Fort Bonneville
Early Republic
5 mi
Cora Townsite
Listed
5.8 mi
Green River Drift Trail Traditional Cultural Property
Listed
6.7 mi

Questions about this property

When was Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site listed on the National Register?

Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 27, 1970.

What type of historic resource is Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site?

Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site?

The period of significance for Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site is recorded as the early_republic era, specifically around 1840.

Can I research the history near Father DeSmet's Prairie Mass Site?

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