Downtown in Columbus in Franklin County, Ohio — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)
Holy Cross Church
Founded 1833
| | Dedicated 1848 | |
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 26, 2024
1. Holy Cross Church Marker
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1848.
Location. 39° 57.507′ N, 82° 59.6′ W. Marker is in Columbus, Ohio, in Franklin County. It is in Downtown. It is at the intersection of South 5th Street and East Rich Street, on the right when traveling north on South 5th Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 204 S 5th St, Columbus OH 43215, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Ohio’s Scioto Valley. It is also in the American Midwest 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 Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the territory of the Mississippian Culture, and the Northwest Territory.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Holy Cross Rectory (a few steps from this marker); Crossroads of Commerce (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); American Federation of Labor (about 600 feet away); Birthplace of the Veterans of Foreign Wars (about 700 feet away); Hartman Hotel Building (about 700 feet away); Loving Lived Here (approx. 0.2 miles away); Central Market (approx. 0.2 miles away); Starling Medical College and St. Francis Hospital (approx. 0.2 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Columbus.
Regarding Holy Cross Church.
this page online
Holy Cross Church, Rectory and School are significant both architecturally and historically. Architecturally, the church is an excellent example of early Goth Revival architecture and is the oldest church structure standing in downtown Columbus. The rectory and school are also well-preserved examples of mid-nineteenth century architecture. Historically the Herlige Krues (Holy Cross) parish was organized in 1833 as the first Roman Catholic parish in the city.
The original church was completed in 1838. By 1844 plans were made to construct a new larger church in the Gothic style of architecture, with a thick stone foundation and a wall of well-burned brick, a plain but substantial church edifice. Cornelius Jacobs was the architect and Joseph Sattler was the mason foreman. In January 1848, the church was dedicated. The tower and spire were added before 1858. The three-story addition was designed by George H. Maetzel, a prominent Columbus architect and completed in 1877. Holy Cross Rectory dates from 1860 while the school was built in 1870.
In 2023, Columbus Bishop Earl Fernandes suppressed Holy Cross parish and merged its territory with that of St. Joseph Cathedral. Holy Cross remains a site of worship.
Also see . . .
1. Holy Cross Church, Rectory and School (PDF)
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 26, 2024
2. Holy Cross Church Marker
Marker is between the center and right doors.
2. Holy Cross: 175 years serving the city. It took more than two decades from the time Columbus became the state capital in 1816 until its residents had a Catholic church of their own. But once the church took root along South Fifth Street, it stayed. (Tim Puet, The Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus, Sept. 14, 2008; via Internet Archive) (Submitted on June 7, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, May 26, 2024
3. Holy Cross Rectory
It was built next door to the church sanctuary in 1860.
Photographed by Mark Moxley-Knapp, January 27, 2025
4. Holy Cross School
Credits. This page was last revised on January 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on June 7, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 232 times since then and 17 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on June 7, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 4. submitted on January 27, 2025, by Mark Moxley-Knapp of Columbus, Ohio.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Photograph of the Holy Cross school building. • Can you help?
