St Joseph’s Catholic Church

In 1916, three years after the completion of the nondenominational St. John’s, the Catholic community pooled their resources to build St. Joseph’s Church and Rectory. As well as providing all the clear timber needed to build the structure, the Powell River Company also provided a large sum of money to see the building completed.

Architecturally, St. Joseph’s has been praised by many. Combined with its function as a church and rectory, it was built with great sensitivity to the adjoining neighbourhood.

A significant feature of the church is the particularly large belfry atop which stands a simple wooden cross.

St. Joseph’s stands across the street to the northeast of St. John’s and so the area became known as Church’s Corner.

The townspeople would walk together to church, socialize, then part company to attend their respective services, coming together again afterwards.

Within the Historic Townsite of Powell River, our mission is to promote heritage education, heritage conservation and revitalization of the traditional downtown core.