Church of the Sacred Heart
Also known as: 127-0676; 127-0859-0244
Why it's listed
Sacred Heart Church at 1401 Perry Street in Richmond's Manchester neighborhood is a brick, front-gabled church with a square corner tower and slate roof, completed in 1901 to designs by Joseph H. McGuire, who studied at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Its Renaissance Revival details include arched windows, stained glass with Sacred Heart imagery, a hammer-beam ceiling and Doric columns inside. Financier Thomas Fortune Ryan and his wife, Ida Mary Barry Ryan, paid for the church, which gave Catholics south of the James River their own place of worship. The Ryans gave more than twenty million dollars to Catholic causes, and this church reflects the philanthropy of industrial and financial leaders at the turn of the twentieth century. The complex also includes an 1897 frame school building, moved behind the church, and a rectory begun in 1902. The interior was altered after Vatican Council II, and the parish remains active.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant under Criterion A as an example of large gifts made to churches and universities by American financiers around 1900, and under Criterion B for its link to financier and philanthropist Thomas Fortune Ryan, who funded it. It also qualifies under Criterion C as the work of an École des Beaux-Arts-trained architect. It is also the home of the oldest Roman Catholic parish in the Manchester area.
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 02001368, listed November 20, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 1401 Perry St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | November 20, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001368 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-1952 |
| Architect / builder | McGuire, Joseph Hubert--Architect; Sitterding, Fritz--Contractor |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Renaissance Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Religion, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is described as in good condition, and the parish remains active. The 1897 frame school building has not been used as a school since 1987, and the 1931 school across Perry Street has been a community center since 1987. |
| Acreage | 0.7 |
| Within district | Manchester Residential and Commercial Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.52263, -77.44899 (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 02001368.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q23134361
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.