Ruby - Saint Peter in Chains Catholic Church
Ruby, a village on the Middle Yukon, was founded when gold was discovered in 1907 at nearby Ruby Creek. The village was not established until 1911 with another gold strike at Long Creek in the general vicinity. Like other boom towns of the era, the population eventually dwindled and settled into a more quiet rhythm as it remains to this day. The population at Ruby is now predominantly Athapaskan.
Mass was first celebrated in August 1912 by Fr. Hormisdas Ferron, S.J., in the home of Mr. Henry Lovely. In September of that year, Fr. Ferron baptized the first boy born in Ruby whose name is Thomas Devane. In 1913 Fr. Julius Jetté, S.J., bought a house lot with a one story frame building on it and converted the building into a church and priest quarters. Ruby's parish then came under the patronage of Saint Peter the Apostle. In more recent years it has been known as Saint Peter in Chains.
It appears that Ruby may not have had a resident priest since its founding until recently. Men of the Jesuit Society served the Catholic community during the middle of the 20th century as temporary visiting priests from Fairbanks, Nulato, Galena, Tanana or Saint Mary. Fr. James Spils, S.J., is one such visiting priest who came from Saint Mary. Fr. Spils, ever a builder and responsible for the construction of churches and schools in the Interior, also built a new church during his service to Ruby between 1947 and 1954. New living quarters were eventually added in 1982 by another visiting priest. Of interest here is that a beautiful baptismal font in Saint Peter's sanctuary was made of spruce burl and built by Alex Homberg of McGrath.
The Franciscan Friars replaced the Jesuits at the Mission in 1987 and have served the community ever since along with Sisters of various Orders...among these in recent years were Sisters Pam Miller, O.P., and Peggy Glynn, O.P. Brother Kirby Boone, C.F.X., was headquartered in Ruby in 1990.