St. John Catholic Church and Parish Hall
Why it's listed
Two buildings on the corner of Schemel and Van Buren Streets in Fryburg make up this parish complex: St. John Catholic Church, built in 1850, and the former parish school, built in 1877 and now used as a parish hall. The church is a one-story Gothic building of brick with stucco, a low slate gable roof, a square belfry with an octagonal spire, and a pointed-arch doorway beneath a single lancet stained glass window. Inside, a Romanesque-style altar area has round-arched niches for statues, low domes topped by gold crosses, frescoed angels, and old pews with cross-tipped ends. The two-story school has five bays, six-over-six windows, and stucco pilasters, one forming a large cross. The church is described as the second oldest Catholic church in the Cincinnati archdiocese without basic structural change, and the school as one of few early schools still standing. Both were listed in 1979 for their architecture.
Significance in brief: The church is described as the second oldest Catholic church in the Cincinnati archdiocese that has not undergone basic changes in structure. The 1877 school is noted as one of the few early schools left standing. Both were listed under the Cross-Tipped Churches thematic group for their architecture.
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 79003451, listed July 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SW Corner of Schlemel and Van Buren Sts., Fryburg |
|---|---|
| County | Auglaize County |
| Listed | July 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1899 |
| Architectural style | Gothic (church); Federal (parish hall) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church remains in use as a church; the former school is used as a parish hall/meeting hall. Church interior and exterior are listed in good condition, the hall in poor condition. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.51595, -84.14719 (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 79003451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588594
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.