St. Joseph Catholic Church and School
Also known as: Wapakoneta Catholic Church
Why it's listed
St. Joseph Catholic Church and School occupy a block in Wapakoneta, Ohio, close to the Auglaize County courthouse. The brick church, completed in 1911 to designs by DeCurtin and built by John and Joseph Hemmert, combines Romanesque forms with High Gothic towers. Twin spires carry four turrets each, a large rose window sits above a triple entrance, and sandstone trim and a Celtic cross mark the roofline. The interior was remodeled in 1969, when the original altars were replaced. The parochial school, built in 1899-1900 by Zeigenfelder & Kuntz, is a brick and ashlar Romanesque building with two round towers and arched windows and doorway. It is described as one of the few surviving imposing school buildings of the area. Catholics in Wapakoneta first attended Mass in nearby Petersburg until a church was built in 1839, and a brick church replaced a log building in 1853. Both current buildings remain in parish use.
Significance in brief: The church is a large Romanesque building with High Gothic twin spires, designed by DeCurtin and built by John and Joseph Hemmert. The school is a medieval-looking Romanesque building representing the many large school buildings in the area that have been torn down. Together they reflect the long-running Catholic parish and its parochial education, and they are significant in architecture, education and religion.
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 79003453, listed July 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 309 S Perry St., Wapakoneta |
|---|---|
| County | Auglaize County |
| Listed | July 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003453 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1875-1899, 1900-1924 |
| Architect / builder | Church: DeCurtin (architect), John and Joseph Hemmert (builders); School: Zeigenfelder & Kuntz (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque with High Gothic towers (church); Romanesque (school) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Education, Religion, Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both buildings are in religious use as a church and an elementary school; exteriors are in good condition. The church interior was remodeled in 1969 and the school was undergoing repair. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 40.56775, -84.19519 (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 79003453.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589084
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.