St. Augustine's Catholic Church (Napoleon, Ohio)

	St. Augustine's Catholic Church
	U.S. National Register of Historic Places
	Front of St. Augustine's Church
Location	210 E. Clinton St. at corner of Monroe and Clinton Streets, Napoleon, Ohio
Coordinates	41°23′34″N 84°7′25″W / 41.39278°N 84.12361°W
Area	1 acre (0.40 ha)
Built	1881
Architect	Otto Honek; Alex Young
Architectural style	Gothic Revival, High Victorian Gothic
NRHP reference No.	82003593
Added to NRHP	September 2, 1982

St. Augustine's Catholic Church is a historic church in Napoleon, Ohio, United States. Located on the edge of the city's downtown, two blocks away from the Henry County Courthouse, the church is a prominent landmark in Napoleon.

History

St. Augustine Parish was founded at some point between 1856 and 1858; its first priest was Michael Pietz. The parish was dedicated to St. Augustine in honor of Augustine Pilliod, who supervised the construction of its first building. This structure was replaced with the current church, which was built at a cost of $21,893. Although construction was largely completed in 1881, the altars were not installed until 1888.^[2]

Architecture

St. Augustine's Church has been rated a fine example of Gothic Revival architecture: both its exterior and its interior feature many examples of the style. A high ceiling, supported by many Gothic arches, rises above the sanctuary and its elaborate wooden altar and pews. Stained glass windows on the front, rear, and sides of the church provide light to the interior. The building's exterior, topped with a steeple that rises 200 feet (61 m) above the ground, is built of brick trimmed with stone. The entire structure rests on a stone foundation;^[3] at the time of construction, small windows lit the basement, but these windows have since been closed with concrete blocks. Other small alterations have been made to the building over the years, including the replacement of the original front doors and wooden steps and the removal of crosses on the building's corners.^[2]

Three buildings associated with the church are located nearby. A two-story brick rectory, bought by the parish in 1925,^[4] sits behind the church, while a Catholic school lies next door.^[2] Across Clinton Street from the church is located a convent of the Sisters of Notre Dame, a two-story Italianate building constructed in 1862.^[5]

The tall brick Gothic tower of St. Augustine's Church places its architecture in stark contrast to another historic church on the edge of downtown Napoleon. First Presbyterian Church, located on Washington Street four blocks southwest of St. Augustine's, features an American Gothic exterior built of multicolored sandstone.^[6]

Recent history

In 1982, the church was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its architectural significance. It is one of four buildings in Henry County that are listed on the Register; the others are the county courthouse, the sheriff's house and jail, and First Presbyterian Church.^[1] It remains an active parish of the Diocese of Toledo and its Our Lady Queen of Peace Deanery.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: St. Augustine's Catholic Church Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.
^ St. Augustine's Catholic Church, Ohio Historical Society, 2007. Accessed 2010-02-27.
^ Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: Catholic Rectory. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.
^ Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: Catholic Convent - Sisters of Notre Dame. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.
^ Reace, R. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: First Presbyterian Church Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-03-01.
^ Our Lady Queen of Peace Deanery, Diocese of Toledo, 2010. Accessed 2010-02-27.

External links

Church website
Profile from the Diocese of Toledo

[nris-1] "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.

[ligibel-2] Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: St. Augustine's Catholic Church Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.

[3] St. Augustine's Catholic Church, Ohio Historical Society, 2007. Accessed 2010-02-27.

[4] Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: Catholic Rectory. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.

[5] Ligibel, T. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: Catholic Convent - Sisters of Notre Dame. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-02-27.

[6] Reace, R. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: First Presbyterian Church Archived 2011-07-26 at the Wayback Machine. Ohio Historical Society, 1977. Accessed 2010-03-01.

[7] Our Lady Queen of Peace Deanery, Diocese of Toledo, 2010. Accessed 2010-02-27.

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v t e Roman Catholic Diocese of Toledo
Bishops	Ordinaries Joseph Schrembs Samuel Stritch Karl Joseph Alter George John Rehring John Anthony Donovan James Robert Hoffman Leonard Paul Blair Daniel Edward Thomas Auxiliaries Albert Henry Ottenweller Robert William Donnelly
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Higher education	Colleges & universities Lourdes University Mercy College of Ohio Former college Mary Manse College
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v t e National Register of Historic Places in Henry County, Ohio
Properties	First Presbyterian Church Henry County Courthouse Henry County Sheriff's Residence and Jail St. Augustine's Catholic Church
See also: National Register of Historic Places listings in Henry County, Ohio and List of National Historic Landmarks in Ohio