St. Joseph's Catholic Church (Wapakoneta, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
St. Joseph's Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in Wapakoneta
, Ohio
, United States
. Built in 1910, this church is home to an active Catholic parish
, and it has been declared a historic site
because of its well-preserved Romanesque Revival architecture
.
to the north. Starting in 1832, he made monthly journeys of 50 miles (80.5 km) to Stallotown
to the south. As Wapakoneta lies midway between these communities, he often visited with and celebrated Mass
for its few Catholic families. After four years of these travels, he established a parish at Petersburg, approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Wapakoneta.
By 1839, the Catholic community in Wapakoneta had grown to the point that it could be created a separate parish, and the members built a small frame
church on the southeastern corner of the intersection of Pearl and Blackhoof Streets near the city's downtown. Although no resident pastor served the parish in its earliest years, membership grew during the 1840s and 1850s, and a priest was first assigned to the church in 1857. The expenses of maintaining even a small church caused the parish to be deep in debt during its earliest years, but it prospered greatly under the pastorate of Joseph Gregory Dwenger
, later Bishop of Fort Wayne
. Since 1850, the parish has been served by priests from the Congregation of the Precious Blood
.
building began under the direction of the DeCurtins
family in 1910, and it was dedicated
on October 8, 1911. A brick building supported by a stone foundation, the church includes architectural features such as two towers
and a large rose window
at the front, underneath which worshippers may enter the building through several large arched doors.
Architectural historians have divided the Precious Blood-related churches of western Ohio into multiple generations. Only a few buildings remain from the first generation, which consisted primarily of small wooden churches, and only St. John's Church in Fryburg remains essentially unchanged. Replacing these wooden buildings were the churches of the second generation, which were generally small brick buildings without tall spires. The churches of the third generation are mostly High Gothic Revival
structures with tall towers, but the final generation of churches includes a wide range of styles. As a Romanesque Revival church built in 1910, St. Joseph's is one of the newest churches in the region, and it plainly is a part of the final generation.
inside. After sixteen years, a larger structure was desired, and a larger brick building was erected immediately to the east of the church at a cost of $4,000. Continued growth necessitated its replacement by a newer building in 1899; this structure is still standing. With features such as towers and turrets, St. Joseph's School is one of the most architecturally-prominent Catholic schools in the region, along with schools in Minster
, St. Henry
, and Chickasaw
.
As the parish continued to expand, a high school
was opened in 1919; its classes met in the elementary school building until a new building was completed in 1961. However, financial issues caused the high school's closure in 1974; the elementary students were then transferred to the former high school, and the original elementary school was then leased to the Wapakoneta City School District.
in the same year. Expanded in 1922, the rectory was later converted into a convent
.
. It is clustered with St. John parish in Fryburg, and the entire cluster is part of the St. Marys Deanery
.
because of their place in Ohio's history
and because of their well-preserved historic architecture. They were among more than thirty different properties included in the "Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources," a multiple property submission of architecturally-important churches and church-related buildings in western Ohio related to the Congregation of the Precious Blood. These churches, primarily Gothic Revival structures with massive towers, have become the namesake of this heavily Catholic region, which is commonly known as the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
."
ategory:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings]
Category:Religious buildings completed in 1910
Category:Churches in the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
Category:Religious organizations established in 1839
Category:Roman Catholic churches in Ohio
Category:Roman Catholic congregations established in the 19th century
Category:Romanesque Revival architecture in Ohio
Category:Wapakoneta, Ohio
Category:Churches in Auglaize County, Ohio
Wapakoneta, Ohio
Wapakoneta is a city in and the county seat of Auglaize County, Ohio, United States with a population of 9,474 as of the 2000 U.S. census. It is the principal city of and is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan S A, which is included in the Lima-Van Wert-Wapakoneta, Ohio CSA...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Built in 1910, this church is home to an active Catholic parish
Parish
A parish is a territorial unit historically under the pastoral care and clerical jurisdiction of one parish priest, who might be assisted in his pastoral duties by a curate or curates - also priests but not the parish priest - from a more or less central parish church with its associated organization...
, and it has been declared a historic site
Historic site
A historic site is an official location where pieces of political, military or social history have been preserved. Historic sites are usually protected by law, and many have recognized with the official national historic site status...
because of its well-preserved Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
.
Early parish history
One of the first two Catholic priests in northern Ohio was John William Horstmann, a native of Osnabrück who had settled in the village of GlandorfGlandorf, Ohio
Glandorf is a village in Putnam County, Ohio, United States. The population was 919 at the 2000 census.- History :Glandorf was founded by Johann Wilhelm Horstmann and six other men from Glandorf, Germany in 1834. They embarked on the ship Columbus on September 7, 1833 in Amsterdam, landed November...
to the north. Starting in 1832, he made monthly journeys of 50 miles (80.5 km) to Stallotown
Minster, Ohio
Minster is a village in Auglaize County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,794 at the 2000 census. It is included in the Wapakoneta, Ohio Micropolitan Statistical Area...
to the south. As Wapakoneta lies midway between these communities, he often visited with and celebrated Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
for its few Catholic families. After four years of these travels, he established a parish at Petersburg, approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Wapakoneta.
By 1839, the Catholic community in Wapakoneta had grown to the point that it could be created a separate parish, and the members built a small frame
Framing (construction)
Framing, in construction known as light-frame construction, is a building technique based around structural members, usually called studs, which provide a stable frame to which interior and exterior wall coverings are attached, and covered by a roof comprising horizontal ceiling joists and sloping...
church on the southeastern corner of the intersection of Pearl and Blackhoof Streets near the city's downtown. Although no resident pastor served the parish in its earliest years, membership grew during the 1840s and 1850s, and a priest was first assigned to the church in 1857. The expenses of maintaining even a small church caused the parish to be deep in debt during its earliest years, but it prospered greatly under the pastorate of Joseph Gregory Dwenger
Joseph Gregory Dwenger
Joseph Gregory Dwenger was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Fort Wayne .Dwenger was born near Minster, Ohio, in 1837. Orphaned at an early age, he was educated by the Fathers of the Precious Blood, entered their community, and was ordained priest 4 September 1859...
, later Bishop of Fort Wayne
Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend
The Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend is a Roman Catholic diocese in north-central and northeastern Indiana. The Most Reverend Kevin C. Rhoades was appointed diocesan bishop by Pope Benedict XVI on November 14, 2009, and was installed on January 13, 2010...
. Since 1850, the parish has been served by priests from the Congregation of the Precious Blood
Missionaries of the Precious Blood
The Missionaries of the Precious Blood form a community of priests and brothers within the Latin Church, one of the 23 sui iuris churches which make up the universal Catholic Church. The Society was founded by Saint Gaspar del Bufalo in 1815...
.
Church building
By the late 1850s, the parish's membership had grown significantly, and the original church had become too small; consequently, a larger brick structure was built to the east of the original building in 1858. Among its most distinctive elements were a massive single tower, four bells, and a large pipe organ. In later years, elderly parishioners remembered the organ and bells favorably: purchased for $2,200 and $1,700 respectively, they were seen as equal to any instruments of the twentieth century and as worthy of installation in the present church building respectively. This church was replaced in turn by the present structure in the early twentieth century. Construction of this Romanesque RevivalRomanesque Revival architecture
Romanesque Revival is a style of building employed beginning in the mid 19th century inspired by the 11th and 12th century Romanesque architecture...
building began under the direction of the DeCurtins
DeCurtins
The DeCurtins family, sometimes written De Curtins, were involved in Midwestern U.S. church architecture. Anton De Curtins was a Swiss immigrant who lived in Carthagena, Ohio and designed several Gothic architecture churches in Mercer County, Ohio, as well as rectories, schools and residences...
family in 1910, and it was dedicated
Consecration
Consecration is the solemn dedication to a special purpose or service, usually religious. The word "consecration" literally means "to associate with the sacred". Persons, places, or things can be consecrated, and the term is used in various ways by different groups...
on October 8, 1911. A brick building supported by a stone foundation, the church includes architectural features such as two towers
Steeple (architecture)
A steeple, in architecture, is a tall tower on a building, often topped by a spire. Steeples are very common on Christian churches and cathedrals and the use of the term generally connotes a religious structure...
and a large rose window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
at the front, underneath which worshippers may enter the building through several large arched doors.
Architectural historians have divided the Precious Blood-related churches of western Ohio into multiple generations. Only a few buildings remain from the first generation, which consisted primarily of small wooden churches, and only St. John's Church in Fryburg remains essentially unchanged. Replacing these wooden buildings were the churches of the second generation, which were generally small brick buildings without tall spires. The churches of the third generation are mostly High Gothic Revival
Gothic Revival architecture
The Gothic Revival is an architectural movement that began in the 1740s in England...
structures with tall towers, but the final generation of churches includes a wide range of styles. As a Romanesque Revival church built in 1910, St. Joseph's is one of the newest churches in the region, and it plainly is a part of the final generation.
School
In 1853, the church purchased a frame building adjacent to its property and quickly opened a parish elementary schoolCatholic school
Catholic schools are maintained parochial schools or education ministries of the Catholic Church. the Church operates the world's largest non-governmental school system...
inside. After sixteen years, a larger structure was desired, and a larger brick building was erected immediately to the east of the church at a cost of $4,000. Continued growth necessitated its replacement by a newer building in 1899; this structure is still standing. With features such as towers and turrets, St. Joseph's School is one of the most architecturally-prominent Catholic schools in the region, along with schools in Minster
Minster Elementary School
The Minster Elementary School is a historic Catholic school building in Minster, Ohio, United States. Built in the early twentieth century, it has been recognized as a historic site.-Architecture:...
, St. Henry
St. Henry's Catholic Church (St. Henry, Ohio)
St. Henry's Catholic Church is a historic Roman Catholic church in St. Henry, Ohio, United States. Built in the late nineteenth century, it remains the home of a functioning congregation, and it has been recognized as a historically significant building because of its architecture.-Early...
, and Chickasaw
Precious Blood Catholic Church (Chickasaw, Ohio)
Precious Blood Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Chickasaw, Ohio, United States. Erected in 1903 and still an active parish, the church historically owned two buildings constructed in its early years that have been designated as historic sites....
.
As the parish continued to expand, a high school
Secondary education in the United States
In most jurisdictions, secondary education in the United States refers to the last six or seven years of statutory formal education. Secondary education is generally split between junior high school or middle school, usually beginning with sixth or seventh grade , and high school, beginning with...
was opened in 1919; its classes met in the elementary school building until a new building was completed in 1961. However, financial issues caused the high school's closure in 1974; the elementary students were then transferred to the former high school, and the original elementary school was then leased to the Wapakoneta City School District.
Rectory
As well as completing its school in 1899, the parish also built a rectoryRectory
A rectory is the residence, or former residence, of a rector, most often a Christian cleric, but in some cases an academic rector or other person with that title...
in the same year. Expanded in 1922, the rectory was later converted into a convent
Convent
A convent is either a community of priests, religious brothers, religious sisters, or nuns, or the building used by the community, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church and in the Anglican Communion...
.
Recent history
Current condition
Today, St. Joseph's Church is an active parish of the Archdiocese of CincinnatiRoman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
. It is clustered with St. John parish in Fryburg, and the entire cluster is part of the St. Marys Deanery
Deanery
A Deanery is an ecclesiastical entity in both the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. A deanery is either the jurisdiction or residence of a Dean.- Catholic usage :...
.
Recognition
In 1979, St. Joseph's Church and School were listed on the National Register of Historic PlacesNational Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
because of their place in Ohio's history
History of Ohio
The history of Ohio includes many thousands of years of human activity. What is now Ohio was probably first settled by Paleo-Indian peoples, who lived in the area as early as 13,000 BCE. Later ancestors of Native Americans were known as the Archaic peoples...
and because of their well-preserved historic architecture. They were among more than thirty different properties included in the "Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources," a multiple property submission of architecturally-important churches and church-related buildings in western Ohio related to the Congregation of the Precious Blood. These churches, primarily Gothic Revival structures with massive towers, have become the namesake of this heavily Catholic region, which is commonly known as the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
The Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches is a rural region in the western part of the U.S. state of Ohio, centered near Maria Stein in Mercer County. Its name is derived from the dense concentration of large Catholic churches that dominate the area's architecture...
."
External links
ategory:19th-century Roman Catholic church buildings]
Category:Religious buildings completed in 1910
Category:Churches in the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
Category:Religious organizations established in 1839
Category:Roman Catholic churches in Ohio
Category:Roman Catholic congregations established in the 19th century
Category:Romanesque Revival architecture in Ohio
Category:Wapakoneta, Ohio
Category:Churches in Auglaize County, Ohio