The frescoes alone are worth the stop! But don't miss all the rest - this place is packed with historical information and interest. Plan to spend more than a few minutes and even the kids will remember this one.
The inside of the old mission church is covered with frescos painted by Brother Joseph Carignano, who had no professional training in art and decorated the church in between working as the cook and handyman.
While traveling in Montana, a friend wanted to stop and see the St. Ignatius Mission. The church was just slightly off the main road (93, I think) so we made a brief stop. The paintings and interior are beautiful and unique, like nothing I've ever seen. History indicates the mission cook did the paintings. The original small log mission is on the grounds. If you have just 20 minutes extra in your travels, it's worth a stop.
Lovely late 19th century mission church with fine murals. The same artist who did these murals (a Jesuit priest w/o formal artictic training, whose main job was a mission cook) did another splendid job at the even more spectacular church of St. Francis Xavier in Missoula.
For crying out loud, clean up the town! What a mess. The mission is okay but the historical charm is lacking because it is surrounded by trashy trailer homes. This area used to be lovely and peaceful when we first came through almost 40 years ago. Now it is rundown. The inside is interesting, considering how it came about.
Beautiful old Catholic Church. Breath taking murals. Interesting history. Nice little town. ...And you're at the bottom of the hill before you head up to see The Glacier National Park. Everyone in the area is very friendly as well.
We stopped on the way to Glacier - and were the only people there. Walking into the quiet blue solitude is soothing no matter what your spiritual bent is. The artwork is amazing, especially given that the artist was a cook with no formal training. The stained glass windows are simple but very beautiful in their simplicity. Very tranquil. Take a minute to walk the grounds, the folks who work in the out-lying buildings are very friendly and informative. OF NOTE: The restroom is easy to miss - facing the church it is to the right side with a small sign.
Saw a little write up in the AAA travel book and we stopped in here after going thru the Natl Bison Refuge. It is close by. I was in awe of all the frescos and could not believe this man had no professional training.. Each was breathtaking.
A Church and little museum that were really memorable. The Church is so beautiful and so unexpected.
The Mission is a short stop on your trip through the Mission mountains but well worth the stop. The beautiful frescos in the chapel are a wonder. The grounds provide information about the history of the missionaries int he Mission valley. This is a short stop and can easily be taken in, in about twenty minutes if you are in a hurry but there is plenty to see if you wish to take your time. We took my mother when she came to visit from Idaho and just made a day out of the beautiful drive around the valley.