# Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches

The Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches is a rural region in the western part of the U.S. state of Ohio, centered near Maria Stein in Mercer County. Its name is derived from the dense concentration of large Catholic churches that dominate the area's architecture. These and other buildings were constructed by the Society of the Most Precious Blood under the oversight of the missionary priest Francis de Sales Brunner. Under his leadership, the Society founded many churches and schools in the region, as well as several seminaries.
The earliest buildings from the mid-19th century were mostly small wooden or simple brick structures. Most of these were replaced in later construction periods; only two from this generation are still in use as churches.
Many of the massive Gothic revival churches that remain today were built in the late 19th century and early 20th century by Anton DeCurtins or his descendants. The churches of the region have changed little since the early 20th century, and only one new parish has been established since 1925.

## Historic buildings

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In 1976, many churches in the Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches were added to the National Register of Historic Places, along with a small number of church-related buildings. These buildings are detailed in the chart below; each is listed under the name by which it appears on the Register.
| | Name | Patron | Date | Location | County |
| 1 | Botkins Elementary School | N/A | 1921 | Botkins: Main St. 40°28′8.8″N 84°10′57.5″W﻿ / ﻿40.469111°N 84.182639°W﻿ / 40.469111; -84.182639﻿ (Botkins Elementary School) | Shelby |
| 2 | Cassella Catholic Church and Rectory | Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary | 1858 | Marion Township: State Route 119 in Cassella 40°24′24″N 84°33′3″W﻿ / ﻿40.40667°N 84.55083°W﻿ / 40.40667; -84.55083﻿ (Cassella Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 3 | Chickasaw School and Rectory | N/A | 1904 | Chickasaw: Maple St. 40°26′10″N 84°29′35″W﻿ / ﻿40.43611°N 84.49306°W﻿ / 40.43611; -84.49306﻿ (Chickasaw School and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 4 | Holy Trinity Catholic Church Complex | Holy Trinity | 1899 | Coldwater: E. Main and 2nd Sts. 40°28′49″N 84°37′42″W﻿ / ﻿40.48028°N 84.62833°W﻿ / 40.48028; -84.62833﻿ (Coldwater Catholic Church Complex) | Mercer |
| 5 | Egypt Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Joseph | 1887 | Jackson Township: junction of Minster-Egypt Rd. and State Route 364 at Egypt 40°23′5″N 84°26′4″W﻿ / ﻿40.38472°N 84.43444°W﻿ / 40.38472; -84.43444﻿ (Egypt Catholic Church and Rectory) | Auglaize |
| 6 | Glynwood Catholic Church | St. Patrick | 1883 | Moulton Township: 6 miles northeast of St. Marys on Glynwood Rd. in Glynwood 40°34′59″N 84°19′5″W﻿ / ﻿40.58306°N 84.31806°W﻿ / 40.58306; -84.31806﻿ (Glynwood Catholic Church) | Auglaize |
| 7 | Gruenwald Convent | N/A | 1854 | Marion Township: 0.5 miles south of Cassella 40°24′1″N 84°33′3″W﻿ / ﻿40.40028°N 84.55083°W﻿ / 40.40028; -84.55083﻿ (Gruenwald Convent) | Mercer |
| 8 | Holy Family Catholic Church | Holy Family | 1866 | Wayne Township: State Route 185 at Frenchtown 40°14′46″N 84°31′25″W﻿ / ﻿40.24611°N 84.52361°W﻿ / 40.24611; -84.52361﻿ (Holy Family Catholic Church) | Darke |
| 9 | Holy Rosary Catholic Church | Holy Rosary | 1867 | St. Marys: junction of E. Spring and S. Pine Sts. 40°32′42″N 84°22′58″W﻿ / ﻿40.54500°N 84.38278°W﻿ / 40.54500; -84.38278﻿ (Holy Rosary Catholic Church) | Auglaize |
| 10 | Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Complex | Immaculate Conception | 1903 | Celina: Anthony and Walnut Sts. 40°33′7″N 84°34′22″W﻿ / ﻿40.55194°N 84.57278°W﻿ / 40.55194; -84.57278﻿ (Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Complex) | Mercer |
| 11 | Immaculate Conception Rectory at Botkins | Immaculate Conception | 1887 | Botkins: 116 N. Mill St. 40°28′9.6″N 84°10′57.8″W﻿ / ﻿40.469333°N 84.182722°W﻿ / 40.469333; -84.182722﻿ (Immaculate Conception Rectory at Botkins) | Shelby |
| 12 | Maria Stein Catholic Church and Rectory | St. John the Baptist | 1889 | Marion Township: St. John's Rd. and State Route 119 in Maria Stein 40°24′29″N 84°28′22″W﻿ / ﻿40.40806°N 84.47278°W﻿ / 40.40806; -84.47278﻿ (Maria Stein Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 13 | Maria Stein Convent | N/A | 1846 | Marion Township: St. John's and Rolfes Rd. in Maria Stein 40°24′57″N 84°28′34″W﻿ / ﻿40.41583°N 84.47611°W﻿ / 40.41583; -84.47611﻿ (Maria Stein Convent) | Mercer |
| 14 | Minster Elementary School | N/A | 1904 | Minster: Lincoln St. 40°23′42″N 84°22′44″W﻿ / ﻿40.39500°N 84.37889°W﻿ / 40.39500; -84.37889﻿ (Minster Elementary School) | Auglaize |
| 15 | Philothea Catholic Church and Priest House | St. Mary | 1871 | Butler Township: Philothea Rd & Tangeman Rd in Philothea, between St. Henry and Coldwater 40°27′3″N 84°39′18″W﻿ / ﻿40.45083°N 84.65500°W﻿ / 40.45083; -84.65500﻿ (Philothea Catholic Church and Priest House) | Mercer |
| 16 | Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory | Sacred Heart of Jesus | 1911 | Van Buren Township: State Routes 29 and 119 at McCartyville 40°23′42.4″N 84°15′16.6″W﻿ / ﻿40.395111°N 84.254611°W﻿ / 40.395111; -84.254611﻿ (Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory) | Shelby |
| 17 | St. Aloysius Catholic Church | St. Aloysius | 1875 | Marion Township: U.S. Route 127 and State Route 274, west of Carthagena 40°26′11″N 84°34′12″W﻿ / ﻿40.43639°N 84.57000°W﻿ / 40.43639; -84.57000﻿ (St. Aloysius Catholic Church) | Mercer |
| 18 | St. Anthony Catholic Church, Padua | St. Anthony | 1869 | Washington Township: State Route 49 and St. Anthony Rd. in Padua 40°30′32″N 84°47′7″W﻿ / ﻿40.50889°N 84.78528°W﻿ / 40.50889; -84.78528﻿ (St. Anthony Catholic Church, Padua) | Mercer |
| 19 | St. Augustine Catholic Church | St. Augustine | 1848 | Minster: N. Hanover St. 40°23′40″N 84°22′47″W﻿ / ﻿40.39444°N 84.37972°W﻿ / 40.39444; -84.37972﻿ (St. Augustine Catholic Church) | Auglaize |
| 20 | St. Bernard Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Bernard | 1906 | Burkettsville: Main St. 40°21′8″N 84°38′45″W﻿ / ﻿40.35222°N 84.64583°W﻿ / 40.35222; -84.64583﻿ (St. Bernard Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 21 | St. Charles Seminary and Chapel | St. Charles | 1906 | Marion Township: 0.5 miles south of Carthagena, off U.S. Route 127 40°25′57″N 84°33′48″W﻿ / ﻿40.43250°N 84.56333°W﻿ / 40.43250; -84.56333﻿ (St. Charles Seminary and Chapel) | Mercer |
| 22 | St. Francis Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Francis | 1906 | Granville Township: Cranberry and Ft. Recovery-Minster Rd. in Cranberry Prairie 40°23′34″N 84°34′55″W﻿ / ﻿40.39278°N 84.58194°W﻿ / 40.39278; -84.58194﻿ (St. Francis Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 23 | St. Henry Catholic Church | St. Henry | 1897 | St. Henry: Main St. 40°25′3″N 84°38′19″W﻿ / ﻿40.41750°N 84.63861°W﻿ / 40.41750; -84.63861﻿ (St. Henry Catholic Church) | Mercer |
| 24 | St. John Catholic Church and Parish Hall | St. John | 1850 | Pusheta Township: southwestern corner of Schlemel and Van Buren Sts. in Fryburg 40°30′57.5″N 84°8′54.6″W﻿ / ﻿40.515972°N 84.148500°W﻿ / 40.515972; -84.148500﻿ (St. John Catholic Church and Parish Hall) | Auglaize |
| 25 | St. Joseph Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Joseph | 1866 | Recovery Township: Sawmill and St. Joe Rds. in St. Joe 40°25′41″N 84°44′19″W﻿ / ﻿40.42806°N 84.73861°W﻿ / 40.42806; -84.73861﻿ (St. Joseph Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 26 | St. Joseph Catholic Church and School | St. Joseph | 1899 | Wapakoneta: 309 S. Perry St. 40°34′4″N 84°11′43″W﻿ / ﻿40.56778°N 84.19528°W﻿ / 40.56778; -84.19528﻿ (St. Joseph Catholic Church and School) | Auglaize |
| 27 | St. Louis Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Louis | 1914 | North Star: east of U.S. Route 127 40°19′29″N 84°34′13″W﻿ / ﻿40.32472°N 84.57028°W﻿ / 40.32472; -84.57028﻿ (St. Louis Catholic Church and Rectory) | Darke |
| 28 | St. Michael Catholic Church Complex | St. Michael | 1849 | Fort Loramie: State Route 705 east of State Route 66 40°21′5″N 84°22′19″W﻿ / ﻿40.35139°N 84.37194°W﻿ / 40.35139; -84.37194﻿ (St. Michael Catholic Church Complex) | Shelby |
| 29 | St. Nicholas Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Nicholas | 1907 | Osgood: State Route 705 and Washington St. 40°20′26″N 84°29′33″W﻿ / ﻿40.34056°N 84.49250°W﻿ / 40.34056; -84.49250﻿ (St. Nicholas Catholic Church and Rectory) | Darke |
| 30 | St. Patrick Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Patrick | 1915 | Van Buren Township: Hoying and Wright-Puthoff Rds. in St. Patrick 40°22′13.1″N 84°17′19″W﻿ / ﻿40.370306°N 84.28861°W﻿ / 40.370306; -84.28861﻿ (St. Patrick Catholic Church and Rectory) | Shelby |
| 31 | St. Paul's Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Paul | 1889 | Gibson Township: junction of Sharpsburg and Meiring Rds. in Sharpsburg 40°22′2″N 84°42′41″W﻿ / ﻿40.36722°N 84.71139°W﻿ / 40.36722; -84.71139﻿ (St. Paul's Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 32 | St. Peter Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Peter | 1904 | Recovery Township: St. Peter and Philothea Rds. in St. Peter 40°27′3″N 84°44′48″W﻿ / ﻿40.45083°N 84.74667°W﻿ / 40.45083; -84.74667﻿ (St. Peter Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 33 | St. Remy Catholic Church | St. Remy | 1890 | Russia: Main St. and Russia-Versailles Rd. 40°14′0.68″N 84°24′53.25″W﻿ / ﻿40.2335222°N 84.4147917°W﻿ / 40.2335222; -84.4147917﻿ (St. Remy Catholic Church) | Shelby |
| 34 | St. Rose Catholic Church Complex | St. Rose | 1892 | Marion Township: Main St. in St. Rose 40°24′26″N 84°30′53″W﻿ / ﻿40.40722°N 84.51472°W﻿ / 40.40722; -84.51472﻿ (St. Rose Catholic Church Complex) | Mercer |
| 35 | St. Sebastian Catholic Church and Rectory | St. Sebastian | 1904 | Marion Township: Sebastian Rd. and State Route 716A in Sebastian 40°26′41.65″N 84°31′1.13″W﻿ / ﻿40.4449028°N 84.5169806°W﻿ / 40.4449028; -84.5169806﻿ (St. Sebastian Catholic Church and Rectory) | Mercer |
| 36 | St. Wendelin Catholic Church, School, and Rectory | St. Wendelin | 1870 | Recovery Township: Ft. Recovery-Minster Rd. and Township Line in Wendelin 40°24′0″N 84°41′27″W﻿ / ﻿40.40000°N 84.69083°W﻿ / 40.40000; -84.69083﻿ (St. Wendelin Catholic Church, School, and Rectory) | Mercer |