Holy Family Catholic Church (Frenchtown, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Holy Family Catholic Church
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Church and cemetery
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | State Route 185 in Wayne Township, Darke County, Ohio |
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| Nearest city | Frenchtown |
| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1866 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002817 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1979 |
Holy Family Catholic Church is an old and beautiful Catholic church located in Frenchtown, Ohio, United States. It's in a place called Wayne Township in Darke County. This church is still used by people today. It's also a special historic site because it's a great example of Gothic Revival architecture, which is a very old and fancy building style.
Contents
The Church's Early History
The first people who settled in this part of Ohio were mostly from France. They started the first church group, or parish, in the area. This group included the places that are now St. Denis Parish in Versailles, St. Remy Parish in Russia, and Holy Family Parish.
Starting the First Church Group
This first parish was called St. Valbert's Church. It was started by French settlers in 1839. Their church building was about 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Versailles. This church was very important because it was a "mother church" for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. These missionaries were just starting to help the Catholic people in this region.
New Parishes and a Friendly Challenge
In 1846, Holy Family Parish and St. Remy Parish became their own separate groups. St. Valbert's Church moved to Versailles in 1864 and was renamed St. Denis.
The people of Holy Family Church quickly built their first church out of logs by the end of 1846. But it burned down in 1848, so they built another log church. At the same time, the people of St. Remy's Church were also building their church. There was a friendly competition between the two groups. They made a wager: the first parish to finish the log foundation for their church would win two gallons of whisky. Holy Family won!
As more French settlers arrived in the 1850s and early 1860s, the log church became too small. So, the church members decided to build a bigger church made of brick.
The Church's Design and Look
The current Holy Family Church was finished in 1866. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style often includes pointed arches and tall windows.
Outside the Church
The church has a gabled roof, which means it has two sloping sides that meet at a ridge. On top of the roof is a bell tower. The walls are made of brick and painted white. The building sits on a strong stone foundation without a basement. Most of the outside of the church still looks very much like it did when it was first built. However, a small addition was built in 1964, which now covers the main entrance.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church has changed more than the outside. The original fancy altars and statues have been removed. The first baptistery (where baptisms happen) and sacristy (where priests prepare) were replaced by new ones in the 1964 addition.
However, some beautiful original features are still there. The light inside the church comes from the original lancet windows. These are tall, narrow windows with pointed tops. Each of these stained glass windows has the name of the person who paid for it.
Different Generations of Churches
Experts who study old buildings have grouped the churches built by the Precious Blood missionaries in western Ohio into different "generations."
- Only a few buildings from the first generation are left. These were mostly small wooden churches. Only St. John's Church in Fryburg still looks mostly the same as it did back then.
- The second generation churches replaced these wooden ones. They were usually small brick buildings without very tall spires. Holy Family Church is a great example of these second-generation churches. It has a simple rectangular shape and a small bell tower.
Other Buildings Near the Church
Holy Family Church is located at the corner of Burns Road and State Route 185 in Frenchtown. Other buildings that belong to the church are nearby.
The Rectory and Parish Hall
- In 1850, the members of Holy Family Church built a rectory for their priest to live in.
- This was replaced by a larger brick building in the 1880s. This rectory is on the north side of Burns Road, right across from the church.
- A newer parish hall is located on the south side of the road, to the west of the church. This is a place for church events and gatherings.
The Cemetery
A church cemetery is located right next to the church, to the south and east. It's not very big, but it has been used a lot. This cemetery was started even before the parish was officially formed, with some burials dating back to 1842. It's officially called the "Frenchtown Cemetery," but many people also know it as the "Holy Family Cemetery."
The Church's Recent History
In 1977, a survey of old buildings looked at Holy Family Church. The outside of the church was found to be in good condition. The inside was noted as "modified," meaning it had been changed.
Becoming a Historic Place
In 1979, Holy Family Catholic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of places in the United States that are important to history. At the same time, 32 other properties were also added to the list. These included 25 other churches in western Ohio that were connected to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
Among these 32 buildings were St. Remy's Church in Russia and two other churches in northeastern Darke County. Many of these churches have tall towers and Gothic Revival architecture. Because of this, this area of western Ohio is often called the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches."
Holy Family Today
Today, Holy Family is still an active parish within the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. It is part of a group of churches that includes Immaculate Conception Parish in Bradford, St. Denis Parish in Versailles, and St. Mary Parish in Greenville. This whole group is part of the Sidney Deanery, which is a larger church district.
