National Register of Historic Places

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio
Listed
August 23, 1979
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
79001940

About this property

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. 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. The cornerstone of the current church was blessed by Bishop Sylvester Rosecrans on May 9, 1869. 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. 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. St. Mary is a member of the Diocese of Columbus, under the care of Bishop Earl K. Fernandes, Bishop of Columbus, with the Rev. Stephen Smith as pastor. As of July 1, 2024, St. Mary is a member of the St. John Paul II Scioto Catholic Parish along with Holy Redeemer (Portsmouth), Holy Trinity (Pond Creek, West Portsmouth), and Saint Peter in Chains (Wheelersburg) churches. Media related to Saint Mary of the Annunciation Church (Portsmouth, Ohio) at Wikimedia Commons

Location

5th and Markets Sts
Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio
38.73430, -83.00218

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church

This page lists St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Cunningham-Maier House
Industrial
0 mi
Peck, Judge William V., House
Industrial
0 mi
Sixth Street Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi
Elden House
Industrial
0.1 mi
Dole-Darrell House
Industrial
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church listed on the National Register?

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 23, 1979.

What type of historic resource is St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church?

St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church?

The period of significance for St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Scioto County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Scioto County.

Explore SciotoCounty ›

More historic places in Ohio

Browse all historic places in Ohio.

View Ohiohistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Ohio history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Ohiohistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report