Church of the Holy Family
Why it's listed
Church of the Holy Family at 320 12th Street in Columbus is a stucco-over-brick Catholic church built between 1877 and 1880 to designs by Daniel Matthew Foley. Its Gothic Revival design shows Byzantine influence. The facade has three bays, with the center bay rising above the others and capped by a slender spire. Tudor arches frame the openings, and crenelated parapets follow the roofline. An attached two-story rectory forms an ell to the west, and a social hall was added in 1971. The grave of Father Michael Cullinan lies east of the entrance. The congregation grew out of the older Church of St. Philip and St. James, built in 1829 on another site, when that building became too small. Father Cullinan encouraged the new church, completed on its present site in 1880. The property is valued for its religious role, its emphasis on education and interfaith understanding, and as the only Gothic Revival church of its type in Columbus. It remains in use and in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites its religious importance as the Catholic congregation's church in a southern city, where a Catholic church was founded unusually early. It also points to the parish's emphasis on education and interfaith understanding, including a first interfaith service in the 1970s. Architecturally, it is described as the only Gothic Revival church of its type in Columbus.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 80001152, listed September 29, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 320 12th St., Columbus |
|---|---|
| County | Muscogee County |
| Listed | September 29, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80001152 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Daniel Matthew Foley |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival with Byzantine influence |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Active Catholic church in excellent condition; described as an active downtown congregation. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 32.46837, -84.98817 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 80001152.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5117899
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.