Holy Rosary Catholic Church
Why it's listed
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a brick church built in 1867 at the corner of East Spring and South Pine Streets in St. Marys, Ohio. It served as the second church of a parish established in 1852. The rectangular building has a gable roof of asphalt, stretcher-bond brick walls on a stone foundation, and a three-bay front. Its most distinctive feature is a frame louvered belfry with a small dome topped by a gold cross, rising from a square tower with an octagonal superstructure. Parish history traces Catholic presence in the area to the early nineteenth century, when priests ministered to settlers, canal workers and Native Americans attending a treaty assembly in 1818. A rectory built in 1883 lies to the east, and a brick parochial school from 1902 lies to the south. The church was listed for its architecture as one of Ohio's cross-tipped churches, and it remained in religious use with good condition reported.
Significance in brief: It is listed under architecture as part of the Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio thematic group, with significance at the state level. The inventory notes a frame louvered belfry with a small dome topped by a gold cross, set on a square tower with an octagonal superstructure. The parish dates to 1852 and reflects early Catholic settlement in the area.
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 79003456, listed July 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | jct. E Spring and S Pine Sts., St. Marys |
|---|---|
| County | Auglaize County |
| Listed | July 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1874 |
| Architect / builder | Anton Goehr (named on the inventory form as architect); the property report lists the architect/builder as unknown |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church in current religious use; interior and exterior condition listed as good. The inventory notes a new church was being planned and demolition was mentioned for summer 1978. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.54513, -84.38269 (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 79003456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5885994
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.