By the 1820s, immigration to western New York was no longer confined to the predominantly Protestant settlers from New England and the mid-Atlantic states. From Europe came German Catholics and, then in larger numbers Irish Catholics, who found ready employment building canals. Some of these Irishmen turned to farming when the canals had been completed; others helped build railroads.

As the Roman Catholic population grew, congregations were organized and, as early as 1823, a stone church, St. Patrick's, was raised by the Roman Catholic Religious Society in Rochesterville. Toward mid-century, Catholic churches were built in some of the larger villages in the hinterland, and the country faithful could journey to a village to attend mass.

In Chili, N.Y. a farming community west of Rochester, a group of Catholic families were for many years dependent for their spiritual needs upon masses conducted by a priest in their homes, or by traveling to Rochester or Scottsville, several miles away. In 1854, the men of these families set about building a church. Within a year, with their own hands and without architect or contractor, they had completed St. Feehan's Church, and affixed a simple wooden cross at its peak. The cross remains there today at the church's new location in the museum's historic village.

By the 1960s, St. Feehan's ever-increasing congregation had outgrown its crowded quarters, and moved into an entirely new church. St. Feehan's was temporarily used as a recreation facility, and its pews were discarded. Those installed in St. Feehan's during its restoration came from St. Mary's Church in Scottsville, N.Y. where they were replaced by more modern (and more comfortable) seating. The pews in St. Feehan's today are those upon which its builders sat when they journeyed to Scottsville to attend mass before their own church was built.

This intimate church has an ornamented interior and stained plass windows. It accomodates 125 people. From May through October it is available for wedding rentals.