St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Also known as: St. Paul's Shrine of the Blessed Sacrament; Conversion of St.
Why it's listed
Built in 1875-1876 at the corner of Euclid Avenue and East 40th Street in Cleveland, this sandstone church is a large example of Victorian Gothic design. Detroit architect Gordon W. Lloyd designed it, and Andrew Dall, Sr., whose firm also built many Euclid Avenue mansions, was the stone contractor. A square buttressed corner tower rises to 120 feet, topped by an octagonal belfry and four slender turrets. Inside, an aisled nave with oaken beams and carved trusses gives the effect of an English parish church, and the original stained glass, screens, statuary and pews remain. The congregation drew prominent business leaders of "Millionaire's Row." After the Episcopalians moved to Cleveland Heights in 1927, the Catholic Diocese bought the building in 1930 and rededicated it as a shrine. A brick and stone convent was added in 1930-1931, forming a cloister. The church is valued for its architecture and its link to Cleveland's elite.
Significance in brief: It was the fashionable church of Cleveland's Euclid Avenue "Millionaire's Row" and is one of the most sophisticated Victorian Gothic church designs of the half dozen surviving from the 1870s in Cleveland. It also shows early concern for preservation, since it was bought by the Catholic Diocese in 1930 when the Episcopal congregation moved away.
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 80002979, listed November 25, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 4120 Euclid Ave., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Cuyahoga County |
| Listed | November 25, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002979 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Andrew Dall/Gordon W. Lloyd |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Excellent condition and occupied; in religious use, with some alterations including a 1965 replacement of the chapel tower spire. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Midtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 41.50338, -81.65752 (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 80002979.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591097
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.