Philothea Catholic Church and Priest House
Also known as: St. Mary's
Why it's listed
Philothea Catholic Church and its priest house sit midway between St. Henry and Coldwater in Mercer County, Ohio. The parish began in 1851, and Archbishop Purcell gave the settlement the Greek name Philothea, meaning God-loving, because it had none. A log church served from 1852 until the present buff brick church was completed in 1871. It was remodeled in 1920-21, with a new sanctuary, sacristies, brick veneer and a tower addition in 1922. The interior was redone in 1950, though a painted white reredos and the original Stations of the Cross remain. The church doorway has a pair of sandstone crocketed pillars. Beside it stands the rectory of 1905, a modest two-story vernacular house that cost $4,500. It was the parish's first rectory; earlier priests lived at Himmelgarten Convent or the Carthagena seminary. Both buildings are listed as part of a thematic group of cross-tipped churches. A newer school was left out of the listing.
Significance in brief: The church belongs to a thematic group of cross-tipped churches in the region. It served as the mother church for Coldwater and has an unusual doorway with sandstone crocketed pillars. The rectory was the first built by St. Mary's parish, replacing earlier priest housing at Himmelgarten Convent and the Carthagena seminary.
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 79002823, listed July 26, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Philothea Rd. between St. Henry and Coldwater, Philothea |
|---|---|
| County | Mercer County |
| Listed | July 26, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79002823 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Church: not stated; rectory: Vernacular |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church and rectory both in use and in good condition. A nearby school to the west is vacant and was excluded from the listing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.45081, -84.65496 (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 79002823.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikidata Q138588259
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.