St. Augustine Church Complex facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
|
|
St. Augustine Church Complex
|
|
 |
|
 Location in Kentucky
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | 1839 Euclid Ave., Covington, Kentucky |
|---|---|
| Area | 2 acres (0.81 ha) |
| Built | 1913 |
| Architect | Davis, David; McClorey, Howard |
| Architectural style | Renaissance |
| NRHP reference No. | 05001321 |
| Added to NRHP | November 25, 2005 |
St. Augustine Catholic Church is an old and important church building. It is located at 1839 Euclid Avenue in Covington, Kentucky. This church has a long history. It is a special place for many people.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The story of St. Augustine Church began in the 1840s. Many German families moved to Northern Kentucky then. They came because of tough times in Germany. They faced money problems and unfair treatment. Also, good prices for pork in the Ohio River Valley helped bring them here.
Early Days of the Church
At first, many Germans settled in the Main Strasse area of Covington. But by the 1860s, they started moving. They went to the southwest part of the city. This area was called Central Covington. St. Augustine was the fifth Catholic church built in Covington. The first St. Augustine church was built in 1870.
Father Joseph Goebbels led the church in the 1870s. He tried to start a wire nail factory. This was to help pay off the church's building debt. But the factory did not do well. This was partly because of a big economic problem in 1873. Many church members lost their savings.
Getting Back on Track
The church's money problems were fixed by Father Paul Abeln. He was the pastor from 1883 until 1911. He helped the church become financially strong again.
Amazing Architecture
The church building you see today was designed by David Davis. He was a local architect. He also designed the Cathedral Basilica of the Assumption, Covington in 1910. Not much is known about Davis. This is surprising since he designed two major churches.
Building the Church
Construction of the current church began in 1913. Father William Kathman oversaw the work. Bishop Camillus P. Macs dedicated the church on December 20, 1914. The church is 60 feet tall. It is 52 feet wide. The transept (the cross part of the church) is 92 feet wide. The church is 160 feet long. It can seat 1000 people. The church celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2018. The school also held a celebration.
_-_nave_2.jpg)
The School Building
The school building was built next. It uses the same dark red bricks as the church. Construction started in 1915. It was finished in September 1916.
