St. Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church (Portsmouth, Ohio) explained

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church
Coordinates:38.7342°N -83.0022°W
Built:1870
Added:August 24, 1979
Area:less than one acre
Refnum:79001940

St. Mary of the Annunciation Roman Catholic Church is a historic church of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Columbus in Portsmouth, Ohio. It was built in 1870 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1979.

History

The first Church of the Annunciation of Portsmouth was built in 1844 by Father O. Mealy, on Madison and 3rd Street. However, by 1852, the Catholics of the community needed another parish, and the German Catholics of the area retained the Church of the Annunciation, under the leadership of Father Francis Karge. The German community grew such that plans were made to construct a new church. A lot on the corner of Fifth and Market was purchased for $2500 in 1859 and the foundation of the church was built in 1864, in addition to a large schoolhouse, costing $3000.[1] The cornerstone of the current church was blessed by Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans on May 9, 1869.[2] The building was dedicated under the name of "Annunciation" on July 31, 1870, having cost $70,000 and having a capacity to seat around 800 people.[3] In 1877, a large pipe organ was added, and in 1895, a bell tower and chimes were installed.

The church was greatly damaged by the Ohio River flood of 1937, with water reaching 10 feet high in the church and causing more than $20,000 in damage.

As of 2022, the church is part of the Scioto Catholic parish consortium along with Holy Redeemer, Holy Trinity, and Saint Peter churches.[4]

Notes and References

  1. March 19, 2006 . Scioto County Portsmouth - St. Mary Parish . Barquilla de la Santa Maria - Bulletin of the Catholic Record Society - Diocese of Columbus . XXXI. 3 . 20–21.
  2. Mattingly . H.E. . December 1981 . Catholic Telegraph Records - Early Diocesan History . Catholic Record Society . VII. 12 . 91.
  3. Book: The History of the Diocese of Columbus, Volume II: 1918-1943 . Catholic Diocese of Columbus . 1943 . Columbus, OH . 69–70.
  4. Web site: ABOUT US . 2022-04-25 . Scioto Catholic . en.