CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, 1853
Ten years after their organization the Congregationalists built their Church at the corner of Kent and Beers Street (Riverside Drive), now 422 Kent Street. It stood in the woods for twenty-four years while the town grew up the hills, and 1877 the Church followed to its present location at 410 Bridge St. A parsonage was soon built on the adjoining lot on Bridge and Smith, and in 1913 an annex was added to the west side of the church. The minister in 1869 was the Reverend Mr. L. P. Spelman; in 1969 it is the Reverend Mr. Richard A. Bayles.
UNIVERSALIST, 1855
June 5, 1852, at a meeting of "the believers in the doctrine of the final holiness and happiness of all of God's intelligent creatures," held at the Portland school house, the First Universalist Society of Portland was organized by Almeron Newman, James Newman, Stephen Bunker, James Bower, Jane Dinsmore, Louisa Bunker, Albert Thompson, Anna Thompson, Huldah Thompson, Louisa Thompson, Susan Thompson, Jane Hamlin, Laura Newman, George Peak, Betsey Peak, and David McCausley. Their Church was built on the southwest corner of James and Church (Warren) Street In 1855, and dedicated in 1856. It measured 34' x 50' and had a spire 110 feet tall. When James Street School became overcrowded classes were moved to the basement of this building. A parsonage was built next door, at the southeast corner of James and Smith Street and still stands. The first pastor was Rev. C. W. Knickerbocker. In 1896 the congregation ceased to hold services and in 1912 the Methodists used the building while their new Church was being built. In 1915 it was torn down and the lumber used in various houses, including the one now on the site.
PRESBYTERIAN, 1870 (approx.)
A Presbyterian Church was organized in 1867 and a map of 1875 shows their church on the present location of the vacated Nazarene church, opposite Powers Park. This Presbyterian congregation united with the Congregational Church in 1876.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL, 1865
The Methodist Episcopal Class of Portland was organized in 1838, meeting at t
he home of Philo Bogue or at the log schoolhouse. A parsonage was built in 1852. The society bought the "old red" schoolhouse in 1860 for twenty dollars cash and used it on a lot at 139 Bridge Street for the next five years, then sold it to Dr. Hugg who moved it across the street and made it into a two-family residence at 230 Elm St., where it still stands. A frame Church, forty feet by 70 feet, was built on the original lot at a cost of $7,500 and a chapet was added on in 1875. In August, 1912 lightning struck the Church steeple and the entire structure burned. Construction was started immediately on a dark red vitrified brick building trimmed with Ohio sandstone and this was dedicated in July, 1913. The parsonage stood next door on Elm street and it was moved in 1964 to make way for an addition to the Church and now stands on the northwest corner of James and Grant. The Knox house at 332 Bridge St. was acquired for a parsonage. The minister in 1869 was the Reverend Mr. David Engle; in 1969, the Reverend Mr. Donald Cozadd.
BAPTIST, 1877
Below: Baptist Church built in 1877.
The Baptist society was organized in 1840 and the village school house served as their meeting place until 1859, when their first frame building was erected at 416 Bridge Street. The parsonage stood on the southeast corner of Bridge and Smith. When the new brick Church, one hundred feet by forty-eight feet, was built in 1877, at a cost of $17,500, the old Church was moved to the southeast corner of James and Elm, a second story added, and used as a residence as it is today. The parsonage was moved to 1027 Bridge Street and is also a residence now. The minister in 1869 was the Reverend Mr. H. Pettit and in 1969 is the Reverend Mr. Maurice Christenson. Since no picture of the original Church is available, the one shown is the structure in use at the present time.
UNITED BRETHREN, 1879
The United Brethren built a church about 1879 at the corner of Brush and Kearney. It had disappeared in 1890, and the congregation was located somewhere on the west side of the Grand at that time. The church shown here was in use by the United Brethren in the early 1900's, and is located on the site once occupied by the Presbyterian property. There are no records available concerning the construction or original ownership of the building shown. It was acquired by the Church of the Nazarene in 1923 and used until they moved to their new Church on Cutler Road. The building is now in use as a Fellowship Hall by the congregation, whose pastor is the Rev. Mr. Carl Noffsinge
METHODIST EPISCOPAL, 1865
The Methodist Episcopal Class of Portland was organized in 1838, meeting at the home of Philo Bogue or at the log schoolhouse. A parsonage was built in 1852. The society bought the "old red" schoolhouse in 1860 for twenty dollars cash and used it on a lot at 139 Bridge Street for the next five years, then sold it to Dr. Hugg who moved it across the street and made it into a two-family residence at 230 Elm St., where it still stands. A frame Church, forty feet by 70 feet, was built on the original lot at a cost of $7,500 and a chapelwas added on in 1875. In August, 1912 lightning struck the Church steeple and the entire structure burned. Construction was started immediately on 
a dark red vitrified brick building trimmed with Ohio sandstone and this was dedicated in July, 1913. The parsonage stood next door on Elm street and it was moved in 1964 to make way for an addition to the Church and now stands on the northwest corner of James and Grant. The Knox house at 332 Bridge St. was acquired for a parsonage. The minister in 1869 was the Reverend Mr. David Engle; in 1969, the Reverend Mr. Donald Cozadd.
UNITED BRETHREN, 1879
The United Brethren built a church about 1879 at the corner of Brush and Kearney. It had disappeared in 1890, and the congregation was located somewhere on the west side of the Grand at that time. The church shown here was in use by the United Brethren in the early 1900's, and is located on the site once occupied by the Presbyterian property. There are no records available concerning the construction or original ownership of the building shown. It was acquired by the Church of the Nazarene in 1923 and used until they moved to their new Church on Cutler Road. The building is now in use as a Fellowship Hall by the congregation, whose pastor is the Rev. Mr. Carl Noffsinger.
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH, 1879
The Roman Catholics of Portland and that vicinity enjoyed occasional public worship in private houses and public halls. In 1878 the Catholics in and around Portland petitioned the Rt. Rev. C. 
H. Borgess, Bishop of Detroit, for permission to establish a mission and build a church in Portland. Their request was granted, and Father Bolte of Ionia was authorized to organize a mission and erect a church, which was completed that same summer and dedicated to the great apostle of Ireland, St. Patrick, in 1879. At various times it was attended by priests from Ionia, Belding or St. Johns, and in 1909 the Rev. Mathias Auer was transferred from St. Johns to Portland. He added a sacristy to the church and installed a furnace. A brick residence was built for him. The church building became too small and an addition was built in 1903, and three years later, Fr. Auer realized his dream of a parish school. It opened in 1906, staffed by the Sisters of St. Joseph, who lived on the second floor of the school building. Fr. Auer died in 1908, at the age of forty-two. The church building shown here burned in the early hours of Jan. 27, 1931. It was used as a parish hall at the time, having been replaced in 1926 by the present structure. The old school has been replaced by a twelve-grade school built in 1961.
