Sacred Heart of Jesus Churches
Also known as: Bethlehem Church
Why it's listed
Two churches stand near each other on State Route 61 in the rural settlement of Bethlehem, six miles southeast of Shelby in Richland County, Ohio. The older, built in 1853, is a brick building that blends Greek Revival proportions and cornice with Gothic Revival pointed arches, lancet windows and buttresses. It was unusually large for the area, where most churches were small frame buildings, and it served as church, school and hall. It is now unused and in poor repair. The newer church, dedicated in 1895, is a cruciform Victorian Gothic building of Berea cut stone designed by Akron architect William P. Ginter, with a 150-foot tower visible across the flat countryside. It remains in use. Together they record a parish begun in the early 1830s that became one of the first Roman Catholic congregations in the county and served missions in several nearby towns. They were listed for their history and architecture.
Significance in brief: The churches are significant for their ties to early settlement and to the religious history of Richland County, where Sacred Heart was one of the earliest Roman Catholic parishes. The 1853 brick church is a rare pre-Civil War local example combining Greek Revival and Gothic Revival elements. The 1895 church was praised as the finest country church in the Cleveland diocese.
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 86000035, listed January 6, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | OH 61, Bethlehem |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | January 6, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86000035 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | William P. Ginter (1895 church) |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic (1895 church); combined Greek Revival and Gothic Revival (1853 church) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The 1895 stone church is still in use by the parish; the 1853 brick church is unused, in poor repair, with its tower and steeple removed and some windows boarded over. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.83788, -82.72250 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary: it recognises significance and does not restrict what a private owner may do without federal money or permits. It unlocks the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit for income-producing buildings, state credits in many states, and Section 106 review when federal agencies are involved. See what listing means in practice.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 86000035.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7397279
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.