Sacred Heart Catholic Church (McCartyville, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory
|
|
Front of the rectory
|
|
 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | State Routes 29 and 119, McCartyville, Ohio |
|---|---|
| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1911 |
| MPS | Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79002874 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1979 |
The Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church is a church community, also called a parish, located in McCartyville, Ohio, United States. It was started in the late 1800s and is still an active church today. The building where the priests live, called the rectory, was built in the early 1900s. This rectory has been named a historic site because of its importance.
Contents
History of the Church Community
During the mid-1800s, people in Ohio began clearing the thick forests of the Great Black Swamp area. This revealed rich farmland. As more land became available for farming, and as the Miami and Erie Canal was being built, western Ohio's economy grew fast. Many settlers in this area were German farmers. A lot of the canal workers were Irish.
By 1850, priests from the Society of the Precious Blood had settled in Minster. This town was about 6 miles west of McCartyville. From Minster, these priests traveled to serve Catholic families in the nearby areas.
Early Settlements and Cooperation
McCartyville and St. Patrick are two communities in northwestern Shelby County. They are about 3 miles apart and had many Catholic residents. To save money and resources, they decided to work together. People near St. Patrick would go to McCartyville for their post office. People from McCartyville would travel to St. Patrick for church services.
St. Patrick's Catholic Church was formed in 1862. Priests from Minster and Fort Loramie served this church. This arrangement continued until 1882.
Founding Sacred Heart Parish
In 1882, the Catholic families in McCartyville formed their own church community. It was named after the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Twenty families were the first members of this new church. It was the last church to be created from the original St. Augustine parish in Minster.
Priests from the Society of the Precious Blood continued to serve the Sacred Heart parish until 1906. Since then, priests from the local Archdiocese of Cincinnati have led the church.
Church Buildings and Property
The Sacred Heart parish has three main buildings. These are the rectory, the church, and a former school. All three are located on the north side of State Route 119. They are just east of where it crosses State Route 29. There is also a cemetery connected to the church.
The Rectory Building
In the early days, priests often lived in convents near their churches. In the early 1900s, the Archdiocese of Cincinnati asked all churches to build rectories for their priests. Many of these homes were simple, two-story brick buildings with sloped roofs.
The Sacred Heart rectory is similar to many others in the area. It is located just west of the church. Built in 1911, it is a square-shaped building. It has three sections, called bays, on each side. The building sits on a strong foundation made of cut stone. It has a concrete base, called a water table, and a basement.
The rectory has some special design features. These include a noticeable cornice (a decorative molding near the roof). It also has large stone ledges, called lug sills, and stone beams, called lintels, around the windows. The main entrance has narrow windows on both sides, known as sidelights. A large porch, like a verandah, covers the front of the building. It has heavy brick pillars and a brick railing. You can enter the building through the main front door on the porch. There is also an outdoor entrance to the basement.
The Church Building
The church building is located east of the rectory and west of the school. It is the largest building belonging to the Sacred Heart parish. This church was built more recently.
The School Building
Many Catholic churches served by the Precious Blood priests built small parish schools. This was because the Society and the local settlers believed strongly in Catholic education. Sacred Heart was one of these churches. Its current school building was constructed in 1930. However, after only a few years, the school closed. The building was then sold to the state government. It was used as a public school after that.
Recent History and Recognition
_-_exterior.jpg)
In 1977, the Sacred Heart rectory was studied by the "Ohio Historic Inventory." This is a program by the Ohio Historical Society that tracks historic places. The study found the house was in good condition. There were no threats to its historic look. At that time, it was not thought to be important enough for the National Register of Historic Places.
However, two years later, the rectory was added to the Register. This happened because of its important architecture. It was one of more than thirty Catholic churches, rectories, and other buildings added at the same time. These buildings were part of a larger group of historic sites in western Ohio. They were all connected to the Society of the Precious Blood. Many churches in this area have tall steeples that can be seen from far away. Because of this, the region is known as the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches."
Unlike its sister church in St. Patrick, Sacred Heart is still an active church today. It is grouped with Immaculate Conception parish in Botkins and St. Lawrence parish in Rhine. All three churches are part of the Sidney area, called a Deanery.
