St. John's was formally incorporated as a parish in 1936.
The parish was staffed by the Benedictines of St. John's Abby in Collegeville, Minnesota, until the Diocese of Duluth took the responsibility in 1985.
The picture above shows the church at its completion in 1961. It is constructed of native stone and lumber, a fitting north woods structure. The rectory was added several years later.
The current parish consists of about 140 registered families. Along with Holy Rosary in Grand Portage, St. John's serves the residents of Cook County and many seasonal residents and visitors throughout the year.
Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Grand Portage was built in 1865 to serve the spiritual needs of the Ojibwa Community and is the oldest log cabin church still operating in Minnesota.
Five miles from the Canadian Border, Grand Portage was the center of the North American fur trade during the late 1700's. The parish was served by a succession of early itinerant missionaries, Jesuits, Benedictines and since 1985, by the Diocese of Duluth.
In 1940, the exterior logs were covered with siding to improve insulation, but the same log siding can still be seen on the rectory next door.
The parish of about 30 families is served by the Pastor of St. John's in Grand Marais and welcomes many tourists each year.