St. Thomas Aquinas Church
Why it's listed
St. Thomas Aquinas Church, at 130 N. Fifth Street in Zanesville, is a rectangular Gothic Revival church built of smooth-dressed sandstone. Its cornerstone was laid on St. Patrick's Day in 1842, and the first Mass was said that Christmas. Brooklyn architect Patrick Keely donated the plans, William Grinsley built the church, and a local Quaker donated the stone from his quarry. The parish traces back to 1819, when a priest said Mass in a local tavern, and a lot was donated in 1823 by John Simon Dugan. The building has lancet-arched openings, buttresses with pinnacles, and a tower bay with a belfry and clock. A 1914 tornado blew off the spire. Inside, a groined vaulted ceiling rises over a nave arcade. It is the oldest Catholic church building in the county and one of two 19th-century stone churches in the city, which makes it a significant remnant of Zanesville's architectural heritage.
Significance in brief: It is the oldest Roman Catholic church building in Muskingum County and one of only two 19th-century stone churches in Zanesville. It is also a locally built example of ecclesiastical Gothic Revival architecture. The parish dates from 1819 and has served local Catholic families since the church opened.
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 80003199, listed March 11, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 130 N. 5th St., Zanesville |
|---|---|
| County | Muskingum County |
| Listed | March 11, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003199 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1842) |
| Architect / builder | Patrick Keely, architect; William Grinsley, builder |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and occupied as a religious building; altered with a rear addition, a wheelchair ramp and removal of the original altar and statuary. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Muskingum River Navigation Historic District |
| Coordinates | 39.94301, -82.00649 (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 80003199.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591911
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.