Historic Sites in Hubbardston MI
Explore the historic sites of Hubbardston, Michigan — including the National Register-listed St. John the Baptist Church, Shiels Tavern (built 1878), pioneer cemeteries, and Irish settlement landmarks.
Hubbardston is rich in historic sites spanning nearly two centuries. St. John the Baptist Catholic Church, a Gothic Revival structure built 1868-69 by Irish immigrant labor, was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001. Shiels Tavern, built in 1878, holds the distinction of being Michigan's oldest continuously licensed bar under the same name. The John Cowman Farm site marks where the first Irish settler arrived in 1849, and the Glass Cabin site recalls a haunting 1838 frontier tragedy.
Articles
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
The spiritual heart of Hubbardston since 1855 — from a converted sheep-shed to a Gothic Revival landmark on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Founding of Hubbardston
How a small settlement in the Michigan wilderness became Hubbardston — from the first pioneers in the 1830s through formal establishment in 1854.
The Glass Tragedy of 1838
The most notorious event in the township's early history — the murder of the Glass family and the mystery that was never solved.
Village Incorporation (1867)
How Hubbardston transitioned from frontier settlement to an officially incorporated Michigan village.
Hubbardston on the National Register of Historic Places
St. John the Baptist Church in Hubbardston, Michigan was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2001 — a recognition of the building's architectural and historical significance.
Shiels Tavern — Michigan's Oldest Bar
The story of Shiels Tavern, claimed to be Michigan's oldest continuously licensed bar operating under the same name — a living piece of Hubbardston history.
People
Places & Businesses
Shiels Tavern
Michigan's oldest continuously licensed bar under the same name. Building dates to 1878, continuous liquor license since 1933.
St. John the Baptist Catholic Church
The spiritual heart of Hubbardston since 1857. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places for its Gothic Revival architecture.