▁of ▁Notre ▁D ame ▁de ▁L our des ▁first ▁church ▁was ▁a ▁wooden ▁structure ▁located ▁where ▁St . ▁Joseph ' s ▁Or phan age ▁is ▁now . ▁ ▁The ▁building ▁was ▁ere cted ▁in ▁just ▁six ▁weeks ▁in ▁the ▁summer ▁of ▁ 1 8 7 4 , ▁and ▁measured ▁ 4 5 ▁feet ▁wide ▁by ▁ 1 1 0 ▁feet ▁long . ▁The ▁parish ▁would ▁remain ▁mixed ▁until ▁ 1 8 8 2 , ▁when ▁Im mac ulate ▁Con ception ▁parish ▁was ▁established ▁nearby ▁for ▁the ▁growing ▁Irish ▁population . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 8 8 8 ▁however , ▁the ▁wooden ▁church ▁was ▁badly ▁dil ap id ated ▁and ▁no ▁longer ▁fit ▁for ▁use ▁by ▁the ▁large ▁parish , ▁which ▁had ▁grown ▁to ▁ 9 0 0 ▁families . ▁In ▁ 1 8 9 0 , ▁parish ion er ▁and ▁noted ▁architect ▁Louis ▁G . ▁Dest rem ps ▁was ▁asked ▁by ▁Father ▁Pre v ost ▁to ▁design ▁a ▁new ▁church . ▁The ▁first ▁church ▁was ▁destroyed ▁by ▁fire ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 2 , ▁ 1 8 9 3 . ▁Mass es ▁were ▁then ▁held ▁in ▁a ▁temporary ▁tent ▁until ▁the ▁new ▁church ▁could ▁be ▁used . ▁ ▁The ▁Second ▁Church ▁ 1 8 9 1 - 1 9 8 2 ▁ ▁On ▁May ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 8 9 1 ▁the ▁corner stone ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁what ▁was ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁largest ▁and ▁most ▁beautiful ▁churches ▁in ▁New ▁England . ▁ ▁In ▁December ▁ 1 8 9 4