St. Mary's Catholic Church (Delaware, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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St. Mary's Church and Rectory
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Front and side of the church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 82 E. William St., Delaware, Ohio |
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| Area | Less than 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1886 |
| Architect | Adolphus Druiding; Bourner & Phillips |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 80002994 |
| Added to NRHP | May 23, 1980 |
St. Mary's Catholic Church is an old and beautiful church in Delaware, Ohio, USA. It was built in the 1880s. This big church is home to a group of people who started meeting in the mid-1800s. Its amazing style has made it a famous building in the community for a long time. It was officially named a historic landmark in 1980.
Contents
The Church's Early Days
The first church services (called Masses) in Delaware happened in people's homes. Traveling priests led these services for the few Catholic families. Many of these families were immigrants from Ireland or Germany. The very first service was probably held in 1835. A French missionary priest led it at Adam Mueller's home.
In 1854, the community built the first St. Mary's Church. It was a small, simple wooden building. This church was a "mission church" connected to Holy Cross Church. Traveling priests continued to serve the community. Some of these priests later became bishops.
Growing the Parish
Six years later, in 1856, Archbishop Purcell appointed the first full-time priest. His name was Casper Wiese. He quickly started a church school. He also bought land for a church cemetery.
After Wiese, several priests served for short times. One priest, Henry Fehlings, stayed longer. During his time, the church grew a lot. In 1865, a brick addition was built onto the church. A nearby store was bought and turned into the church school. A house was also bought and became the rectory, which is where the priest lives. By 1880, about 700 people belonged to the church.
Building the Current Church
In 1886, work began on the church you see today. It is made of brick with sandstone and decorative terra-cotta. The church is located on William Street near downtown. The first stone was laid in 1887. Bishop John Watterson officially blessed the church in October 1888.
Today, St. Mary's is still an active church. It is part of the Diocese of Columbus. It is one of three Catholic churches in Delaware County. The others are St. Joan of Arc in Powell and St. John Neumann in Sunbury.
Church Design and Style
_-_interior,_nave.jpg)
St. Mary's is a brick building. It sits on a strong limestone foundation. The roof is made of slate. The church was designed by Adolphus Druiding. It is built in the Gothic Revival style. This style looks like old European cathedrals.
The front of the church has two tall towers. They stand on each side of the main part of the building. The tower on the right is much taller than the one on the left. Six arched windows are on the side of the church. The towers have different sized windows. The taller tower has clocks. Both towers have tall, pointed spires that can be seen from far away in Delaware.
The church has many beautiful details. There are wood carvings and colorful stained glass windows. The bricks are also placed in decorative patterns. Inside, columns separate the main seating area (called the nave) from the side aisles. The two altars are made of wood. They are painted and carved. The church's detailed artwork makes it very different from the rectory. The rectory is a three-story brick building, but it is much plainer than the church.
A Historic Landmark
In 1980, St. Mary's Church and its rectory were listed together. They were added to the National Register of Historic Places. This means they are important historic buildings. They were chosen because of their special architecture.
St. Mary's is one of seventeen places in Delaware that are on this list. Other historic places include the Delaware County Courthouse downtown. Selby Field on the Ohio Wesleyan University campus is also on the list.
