St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church
Why it's listed
St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, at 3114 Scranton Road in Cleveland, is a large High Victorian Gothic church about 170 by 100 feet. It has rock-faced stone masonry walls and two towers on the east facade, topped by octagonal spires 232 and 180 feet tall. A large rose window is the focal point of the front, and the interior has ribbed vaulting, clustered columns and more than fifty polychrome statues. The parish grew from a mission founded in 1881 for German Catholics, mostly immigrants from Danzig and West Prussia. Chicago architect Adolph Druiding's plans were chosen by Bishop Gilmour. Ground was broken in 1888, the cornerstone laid in 1889 and the church dedicated on November 2, 1892, at a cost of $148,000. A fire destroyed the temporary church in 1891, so the congregation moved in earlier than planned. At completion it was the largest, costliest and most artistically notable church in the diocese, seating 1,500 people.
Significance in brief: When completed in 1892 it was the largest, most costly and most artistically notable church in the Cleveland Diocese, and for many years the largest church in Cleveland. It is an important example of a church built for an immigrant community, in this case German Catholics. It also shows the exchange of architectural ideas within the Catholic Church in northern Ohio.
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 74001452, listed January 18, 1974. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 3114 Scranton Rd., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | January 18, 1974 |
| Reference number | 74001452 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1888-1892 |
| Architect / builder | Adolph Druiding of Chicago (architect) |
| Architectural style | High Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and in religious use; the basic fabric is unchanged, though the exterior windows are obscured by protective glass and the interior was redecorated in 1930. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Scranton South Side Historic District (Additional Documentation) |
| Coordinates | 41.46973, -81.69718 (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 74001452.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590746
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.