St. Mary's Girls Grade School
Why it's listed
Built in 1887 at 514 Decatur Street in Sandusky, this 2.5-story school was constructed of rock-faced cut limestone with a gable roof and a central shingled tower. The tower projects forward and divides the symmetrical facade, holding an arched doorway with side lights and a transom. Stone lintels are more decorative on the front, linked by darker stone bands that run to the corners, and a stone water table runs along the front. The school originally held four classrooms for first and second generation German-speaking Catholic girls of St. Mary's Parish, which was a German national parish until the 1970s. In 1909 a larger grade school was built nearby, and the building became a convent. A stone addition was made to the south in the 1950s, and a connection to the rear school followed in the 1960s. Its significance lies in its part in the history of Sandusky's German-speaking Catholics.
Significance in brief: The building is significant for its role in the history of Sandusky's German-speaking Catholics. It was built as a school for first and second generation German-speaking Catholic girls of St. Mary's, which remained a German national parish until the 1970s.
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 82001438, listed October 20, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 514 Decatur St., Sandusky |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | October 20, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001438 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Education, European |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used as a convent; interior condition good and exterior very good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.45091, -82.72384 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
For a publicly owned building or structure, listing mainly matters when federal funds, permits or licences are involved: projects then go through Section 106 review so effects on the property are considered. Listing also strengthens applications for preservation grants and, for leased income-producing uses, can enable the federal rehabilitation tax credit.
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 82001438.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.