DEDERICHS, Peter (1856-1924) of Detroit, Mich. was born on 8 August 1856 and was educated and trained in Germany. He arrived in Michigan after 1870 where he specialized in the design of churches, schools, convents and monasteries for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Detroit. In 1907-08 he designed a distinctive Gothic Revival chapel at Assumption Roman Catholic College at Windsor, Ont. In 1914, he was almost certainly the same "C. Dietrich" [sic], who was described as "the architect from Detroit" who was responsible for the rebuilding of the Roman Catholic church at La Salette, Ontario (near Tillsonburg). This ecclesiastical landmark was first built in 1879-81, and was likely a work by Dederichs who began his professional career in Detroit in 1877 at the young age of twenty-one years. In Detroit, the largest and most important commission of his career is that for St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 1885; still standing in 2017 (W.H. Ferry, The Buildings of Detroit, 1968, 87, plate 116). Dederichs died in Detroit on 25 August 1924 (obituary Border Cities Star [Windsor], 26 Aug. 1924, 15; death notice Detroit Free Press, 27 Aug. 1924, 19; biog. Albert N. Marquis, The Book of Detroiters, 1908; inf. Ian Mason)
(works in Canada)
LA SALETTE, ONT., Our Lady of Salette Roman Catholic Church, 1879-81; burned March 1913; rebuilt and re-opened in April 1914 (Catholic Record [London], 9 Sept. 1881, descrip. but lacking attribution to architect); rebuilding in 1913-14 credited to "C. Dietrich [sic] of Detroit" (Michael Power & Daniel Brock, Gather Up The Fragments - A History of the Diocese of London, 2008, 348; inf. Debra J. Majer, Archives, Roman Catholic Diocese of London, Ont.; inf. Ian Mason)
WALKERVILLE, ONT., a large residence for John B. Gravier, 1883 (Detroit Free Press, 5 May 1883, 1)
SANDWICH, ONT., a new wing with large chapel at the Assumption Roman Catholic College, 1908 (Catholic Register [Toronto], 11 June 1908, 8, descrip.; Evening Record [Windsor], 16 June 1908, 1, descrip.)
(works in Detroit, Mich.)
HILSENDEGEN BLOCK, Monroe Avenue at Farmer Street, 1878 (Detroit Free Press, 2 June 1878, 18)
PUBLIC MARKET, for Thomas Griffin, Michigan Grand Avenue, 1878 (Detroit Free Press, 2 June 1878, 18)
OUR LADY OF LOURDES ROMAN CATHOLIC CHAPEL & GROTTO, Gratiot Avenue near Mapleridge Street, at Connor’s Creek, 1881 (Detroit Free Press, 24 Aur. 1881, 6; 5 Oct. 1881, 6, descrip.)
ROMAN CATHOLIC CONVENT, St. Aubun Avenue at Fremond Street, 1881 (Detroit Free Press, 17 July 1881, 14)
RIOPELLE STREET, near Gratiot Avenue, residence for the architect, 1881 (Detroit Free Press, 25 oct. 1881, 1)
SACRED HEART ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Grove Street at Prospect Street, 1884 (Detroit Free Press, 10 March 1884, 1)
ST. PETER’S GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH, a residence or rectory, Chene Street at Pierce Street, 1884 (Detroit Free Press, 10 March 1884, 1)
ST. MARY’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, St. Antoine Street at Croghan Street, 1884-85 (Detroit Free Press, 13 April 1884, 16, descrip.; Kathryn B. Eckert, The Buildings of Michigan, 1993, 16, descrip.)
ST. JOACHIM’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Fort Street at Dubois Street, 1885 (Detroit Free Press, 30 March 1885, 4, descrip.)
WHITE EAGLE BREWERY, Fremont Street at Riopelle Street, for John Zynda, 1890 (Detroit Free Press, 23 March 1890, 18)
ST. JOHN’S ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Griffin Street at The Boulevard, 1892 (Detroit Free Press, 7 July 1892, 9, descrip.)
EAST GRAND BOULEVARD, a mansion for Charles H. Ritter, 1901 (Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. 1901, 11)
KAISER & SCHMIDT BREWERY, Wilkins Street near St. Aubin Avenue, major addition, 1901 (Detroit Free Press, 20 Oct. 1901, 11)
ST. CHARLES BORREMEO ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH, Baldwin Avenue at St. Paul Avenue, 1918-19 (Detroit Free Press, 13 Jan. 1918, Section Four, 9, illus. & descrip.)
(works elsewhere in Michigan and Wisconsin)
IONIA, MICH., St. Peter & Paul Roman Catholic Church, 1881 (Detroit Free Press, 17 July 1881, 14; Kathryn B. Eckert, The Buildings of Michigan, 1993, 269)
WESTPHALIA, MICH., Roman Catholic school, 1881 (Detroit Free Press, 17 July 1881, 14)
GROSSE POINTE, MICH., residence for Rev. Frank Van Antwerp, 1883 (Detroit Free Press, 5 May 1883, 1)
HAMTRAMCK, MICH., Roman Catholic Capuchin Monastery, in Russell’s Grove, opposite Mount Elliott Cemetery, 1883; with addition of two wings, 1884-85 (Detroit Free Press, 24 June 1883, 6, descrip.; 28 Dec. 1884, 6)
MARSHALL, MICH., rectory for the Roman Catholic church, 1884 (Detroit Free Press, 10 March 1884, 1)
APPLETON, WISC., Roman Catholic church, 1884 (Detroit Free Press, 10 March 1884, 1)
IDA, MICH., St. Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, 1904-05 (Detroit Free Press, 22 Jan. 1905, 10)
RICHMOND, MICH., St. Augustine Roman Catholic Church, Main Street at Howard Street, 1913 (Kathryn B. Eckert, The Buildings of Michigan, 1993, 179-80)