Onyx in Toledo in Lucas County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
St. Anthony Church
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 30, 2021
1. St. Anthony Church Marker
Construction for the current St. Anthony Church began in 1890 after the original wood-frame church became too small to serve the steadily growing congregation of Polish immigrants coming into the Toledo area. Completed in 1894, St. Anthony was the second Polish church built in Toledo and became known as the "mother" church for the local Polish community serving as many as 8,000 parishioners prior to the 1970s. The first Mass was celebrated on March 4, 1894.
St. Anthony Church served an area known as "Kuschwantz" or cow's tail, possibly referring to the rural nature of the area. This area became the initial settlement for a large number of Polish immigrants from the Poznan area of Poland during the late 1800s. St. Anthony played an integral part in the lives of these oppressed immigrants and was a focal point for those who came to build a new life of freedom for themselves in the United States.
Erected 2004 by St. Anthony Society and The Ohio Historical Society. (Marker Number 48-48.)
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Immigration • Religion & Religious Structures
this page online
Location. 41° 38.737′ N, 83° 34.639′ W. Marker is in Toledo, Ohio, in Lucas County. It is in Onyx. It is on Nebraska Avenue near Junction Avenue, on the left when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1416 Nebraska Avenue, Toledo OH 43607, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is on Ohio’s Lake Erie Shore. It is also in the American Midwest, on the Great Lakes, and in the Corn Belt. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Viceroyalty of New France, the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Edward Drummond Libbey High School (approx. 0.8 miles away); The University of Toledo (approx.
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 30, 2021
2. St. Anthony Church Marker reverse
Also see . . . St. Anthony Church. Excerpt:
St. Anthony Parish: “You always know where you are by looking for the steeple.”(Submitted on May 1, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan.)
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 30, 2021
3. St. Anthony Church
View from Nebraska Avenue
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 30, 2021
4. St. Anthony Church
View from Junction Avenue
Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 30, 2021
5. St. Anthony Church and Marker
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 30, 2022
6. St. Anthony Church
Photographed by Craig Doda, January 30, 2022
7. St. Anthony Church Cornerstone
Credits. This page was last revised on July 18, 2025. It was originally submitted on April 30, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 2,087 times since then and 133 times this year. Last updated on January 30, 2022, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on May 1, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. 6, 7. submitted on March 12, 2023, by Craig Doda of Napoleon, Ohio. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
