The log chapel was originally built in 1831 by Rev.

Stephen Badin Reverend Fr. Stephen Theodore Badin (born Étienne Théodore Badin on July 17, 1768 – April 21, 1853) was the first Catholic priest ordained in the United States. He spent most of his long career ministering to widely dispersed Catholics in Cana ...

as a mission to the

Potawatomi Indians The Potawatomi , also spelled Pottawatomi and Pottawatomie (among many variations), are a Native American people of the western Great Lakes region, upper Mississippi River and Great Plains. They traditionally speak the Potawatomi language, a m ...

in what would become northern Indiana. It was one of the first Catholic places of worship in Northern Indiana. It was given in 1842 to Fr.

Edward Sorin Edward Frederick Sorin (French: Édouard Sorin), C.S.C. (February 6, 1814October 31, 1893) was a French-born priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and the founder of the University of Notre Dame in Indiana and of St. Edward's University in Au ...

, and it became the original nucleus of the

University of Notre Dame The University of Notre Dame du Lac, known simply as Notre Dame ( ) or ND, is a private Catholic research university in Notre Dame, Indiana, outside the city of South Bend. French priest Edward Sorin founded the school in 1842. The main campu ...

. When Sorin arrived on campus, the Log Chapel was the main structure standing. It was a 44 by 24 feet log cabin that served as chapel and priest residence. The small structures were also present on site: a small clapboard cabin that housed the Indian interpreter and his family, and a 8 by 6 feet shed. One of the first things that Sorin did was build a second log cabin, which was dedicated on March 19 1843, slightly to the east of Badin's chapel and about the same size. As the community grew, Badin's Log chapel was converted into a carpenter's shop on the first floor and a residence for the Holy Cross Brothers on the second, while Sorin's second cabin housed the chapel on the first floor and a residence for the Holy Cross sisters on the second floor. The original log chapel was destroyed in 1856 by a fire, and an identical replica was built in the same spot in 1906. Log Chapel 1

In 1973 it was added to the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

In February 1987, Fr.

Theodore Hesburgh Theodore Martin Hesburgh, CSC (May 25, 1917 – February 26, 2015) was a native of Syracuse, New York, who became an ordained priest of the Congregation of Holy Cross and is best known for his service as the president of the University of Not ...

decided to move the burials of Fr. Louis DeSeille, Fr.

Benjamin Petit Benjamin Marie Petit (April 8, 1811 – February 10, 1839) was a Catholic missionary to the Potawatomi at Twin Lakes, Indiana, where he served from November 1837 to September 1838. A native of Rennes in Brittany, France, Petit was trained ...

, and Fr. Francis Cointet, from the basilica Crypt to the Log Chapel, where Fr. Badin was buried. All three priests had been buried under the original Chapel before Fr. Sorin moved them to the crypt.

References

{{University of Notre Dame National Register of Historic Places in St. Joseph County, Indiana Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Indiana Historic district contributing properties in Indiana University of Notre Dame buildings and structures University and college buildings completed in 1906 Roman Catholic chapels in the United States University and college chapels in the United States Religious buildings and structures completed in 1906