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 important Catholic church in Frenchtown, Ohio. It's a special place because it's still used by many people today. This church is also a historic site because it has kept its beautiful Gothic Revival architecture style very well.
How the Church Started
The first people who settled in this part of Ohio were mostly French. They started the first church in this area in 1839. It was called St. Valbert's Church. This church was a "mother church" for the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. These missionaries were helping the Catholic people in the region.
In 1846, Holy Family Parish became its own separate church. The people of Holy Family Church quickly built a log church. Sadly, it burned down in 1848, so they built another log church.
There was a friendly competition between Holy Family and another church, St. Remy's. They made a bet about which church could lay its log foundation first. Holy Family won! As more French settlers arrived, the log church became too small. So, the church members decided to build a bigger church out of brick.
What the Church Looks Like
The Holy Family Church you see today was finished in 1866. It was built in the Gothic Revival style. This style often looks like old European cathedrals.
The church has a gabled roof with a bell tower on top. Its walls are made of brick and painted white. The building sits on a strong stone foundation. Most of the outside of the church still looks like it did when it was first built. In 1964, a small new part was added to the entrance.
The inside of the church has changed more over time. The original fancy altars and statues were removed. The old baptistery (where baptisms happen) and sacristy (where priests prepare) were replaced in 1964. However, the beautiful stained glass lancet windows are still there. Each window has the name of the person who paid for it.
Holy Family Church is a great example of the "second generation" of churches built by the Precious Blood missionaries. These churches were usually smaller brick buildings without very tall spires.
Other Important Places
Holy Family Church is located at a main intersection in Frenchtown. Other buildings important to the church are nearby. In 1850, the church members built a rectory for their priest to live in. This was replaced by a larger brick house in the 1880s. It is across the road from the church.
A newer parish hall is also located near the church. There is also a church cemetery right next to the church. It's small but has been used a lot. This cemetery was started even before the church parish was officially formed. Some burials there date back to 1842. It's known as the "Frenchtown Cemetery" or "Holy Family Cemetery."
The Church Today
In 1979, Holy Family Catholic Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places. This is a list of important historic places in the United States. Many other churches in western Ohio were added to this list at the same time. These churches are special because they were built by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood.
Many of these churches have tall towers and Gothic Revival architecture. Because of this, this area of western Ohio is sometimes called the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches."
Today, Holy Family is still an active church. It is part of a group of churches in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. This group includes churches in Bradford, Versailles, and Greenville.
