St. Patrick's Catholic Church (Glynwood, Ohio) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Glynnwood Catholic Church
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Front of St. Patrick's Church
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 Location in Ohio
Location in the United States
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| Location | 6 miles northeast of St. Marys on Glynwood Rd., Glynwood, Ohio |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1883 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| MPS | Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR |
| NRHP reference No. | 79003454 |
| Added to NRHP | July 26, 1979 |
St. Patrick's Church is an old and important Roman Catholic church located in Glynwood, Ohio. This community is in Auglaize County, Ohio, in the United States. The church is found north of U.S. Route 33, between the towns of St. Marys and Wapakoneta.
The church building was finished in 1883. It was designed in the Gothic Revival style, which was popular for churches at that time. St. Patrick's is one of many large Catholic churches in a special area of western Ohio. This area is known as the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches." Many Catholic families from other countries settled here in the 1800s.
How the Church Started in Glynwood
The church began as St. Thomas' Church in a community called Six Mile in 1857. Most Catholic churches in Auglaize and Mercer counties were started by German settlers. However, St. Thomas' Church was founded by Irish families.
At first, church services were held in people's homes. Then, a generous member of the community gave land for a cemetery and a church building. The first church was built on this land in 1860. Starting in the 1840s, priests from the Society of the Precious Blood served the church. These priests were based in Minster, which is about 15 miles south.
Growing Bigger: A New Church Building
In the 1870s, the community of Six Mile grew and became richer. This happened because oil and natural gas were found nearby. Also, the Lake Erie and Western Railroad built a depot in Six Mile. The railroad even renamed the community "Glynwood" after a local resident named John Glynn.
St. Thomas' Church also grew a lot during this time. The old wooden church building became too small for all the people who wanted to attend. So, in 1883, work began on a new church made of brick. In the same year, the church was given a new name: St. Patrick's. It was named after Saint Patrick, who is the patron saint of Ireland. The cemetery, however, kept its original name, St. Thomas Cemetery.
Experts who study old buildings have grouped the Catholic churches in western Ohio into different "generations." Only a few of the very first churches, which were small wooden buildings, are still standing. Most of these early churches were replaced by second-generation churches. These were usually small brick buildings without tall spires (pointy towers).
St. Patrick's Church is special because it's like a mix between the second and third generations. It's a smaller brick building that replaced an early wooden church. But its tower looks like the tall, grand towers of the third-generation churches. These later churches are known for their "High Gothic Revival" style.
St. Patrick's Church Today
In 1979, St. Patrick's Church was recognized as an important historical building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places because of its unique architecture. At the same time, twenty-seven other churches in the area were also added to this list. This included the very first church in Minster, which is sometimes called the "mother church."
Today, St. Patrick's is still an active church parish. It is part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. The church works closely with Holy Rosary parish in St. Marys. Both churches belong to the St. Marys Deanery, which is a group of parishes in the area.
