Our History
Our Parish: Serving Summit County for Almost 150 Years
Imagine a time when prospectors, missionaries, and immigrants battled the elements by horseback to settle in the Rocky Mountain region. In the late 1800s, pioneers faced the realities of a boom-and-bust economy and endured brutal winters characterized by more than 300 inches of snow each season. That’s the story of St. Mary’s Parish – Our Lady of Peace in Summit County, Colorado.
Two decades after the Pikes Peak Gold Rush of 1858 and shortly after the second Gold Rush of 1879, Old St. Mary Church was hastily built at the corner of High Street and Washington Avenue. It took 12 days to build the church, and the first Mass was celebrated on October 23, 1881.
Nine years later, the modest Church was moved to its current location on French Street in what is now the National Historic District of Breckenridge, Colorado.
This small mountain town was populated by gold-seeking prospectors, miners, and a small Catholic flock. Fr. Joseph Machebeuf, born in Riom, France, had a vision to lead the mountain ministry initially from Santa Fe, NM and he eventually moved to Denver, Colorado where he served as Bishop from 1868-1889.
Here is a brief overview of the key milestones associated with the Parish (with thanks to Mary Ellen Gilliland and her book, “Century of Faith:”