[2] The church grounds contain a bronze sculpture of George Washington wearing the apron of a master mason by Donald De Lue.

The church was founded as a result of Julia Anderson's bequest of the lot on which her own mansion stood, at the corner of Woodbridge and Woodward streets.

The completion of the Erie Canal increased shipping traffic in the area, and Anderson felt that the seamen were in need of spiritual support and care.

[4] Prior to the Civil War, the church was a stop on the Underground Railroad which black slaves followed North to Canada and freedom.

In 1925, the church established Mariners' Inn, a shelter that now offers rehabilitation, counseling and vocational services for homeless substance abusers.

Trustee and The Detroit News columnist George Stark urged his readers to help save the historic building and asked for small contributions of $5 or $10 to move the 60,000 pounds (27,000 kg) limestone edifice 880 feet (270 m) east.

In its original location, the north and west sides of the building abutted other structures and were not visible until the 1955 move.

The ground floor which currently holds church offices and meeting rooms originally housed commercial tenants to provide income.

In 1971, a second phase of renovations expanded the Chancel area; restored and refinished the Altar, Reredos, pews and floor; upgraded lighting, sound and electrical systems; covered sanctuary walls with vinyl; replaced the wooden tracery of the rose window with stone; installed an air conditioning system; and painted exterior woodwork.

The church's bell tolled 29 times in November 1975 to mourn the loss of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald; once for each of her 29 crew members.

[16] The church is mentioned in Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald", which goes: "In a musty old hall in Detroit, they prayed in the Maritime Sailors' Cathedral.

[17] On November 12, 2006, two days after the 31st anniversary of the sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald, the church broadened its memorial ceremony to include the more than 1,000 lives lost on the Great Lakes.