Historic Catholic Landmarks in Western Pennsylvania by John C
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Historic Catholic Landmarks in Western Pennsylvania by John C. Bates, Esq. Recognition of historic buildings and, on occasion, historic and the nomination process for adding properties to it, which individuals in Pittsburgh and in Western Pennsylvania may occur involves the State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO). The in four ways. Federal, state, and city governments have created SHPO sends the nomination to the state's historic review mechanisms to identify historically significant buildings and commission, which recommends whether the SHPO should districts, and a Pittsburgh-based non-profit historical group has send the nomination to the Keeper of the National Register. done the same. These four programs, operating within the last Upon recommendation, the nomination is sent to the National one hundred years, have included buildings and individuals that Park Service (an agency within the U.S. Department of the are part of the Catholic history ofWestern Pennsylvania. Interior), which approves or denies the nomination. If approved, the Keeper of the National Register officially enters the property The National Register of Historic Places into the NRHP. The National Park Service administers the The National Register of Historic Places is the federal National Register. Those buildings with a Catholic identification government's official list of buildings, sites, and districts deemed that are listed for Western Pennsylvania are: worthy of preservation. Passage of the National Historic Preservation Act in 1966 established the National Register Date Added Number Historic Place Architect September 14, 1972 72001089 St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church Frederick C. Sauer 21st and Smallman Streets, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) October 29, 1974 74001747 St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Church Unknown 109 S. Carson Street, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) June 5, 1975 75001963 St. Severin's Old Log Church Unknown West of PA 53, Cooper Settlement (Clearfield County) January 18, 1978 78002486 St. Vincent Archahbey Gristmill Benedictine monks S.W. of Latrobe off US 30, Unity Township (Westmoreland County) March 21, 1978 78002340 St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church Unknown West of PA 268, Sugar Creek Township, Cowansville (Armstrong County) May6, 1980 80003404 St. Nicholas Croatian Church Frederick C. Sauer 24 Maryland Avenue, Millvale (Allegheny County) October 15, 1980 80003494 St. Peter's Church Unknown Church Street, Brownsville (Fayette County) November 17, 1981 81000525 St. Boniface Roman Catholic Church Albert F. Link East Street, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) 1983 83004661 St. Thomas Roman Catholic Church Frederick J. Osterling 1001 Braddock Avenue, Braddock (Allegheny County) [destroyed by fire in 1983 before completion of che National Register process] September. 23, 1983 83002287 St. Gertrude Roman Catholic Church John T. Comes 311 Franklin Avenue, Vandergrift (Westmoreland County) 1994 93001471 St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church Harry M. Wirsing North & Beaver Streets, New Castle (Lawrence County) J. B. Brenot [determined eligible, but Diocese of Piruburgh objected, and che church was not included in che National Register] 17 Historic Catholic Landmarks in Western Pennsylvania (continued) Date Added Number Historic Place Architect November 8, 1996 96001193 Villa Maria Academy Unknown 819 W. 8th Street, Erie (Erie Councy) November 7, 1997 97001247 St. Nicholas Byzantine Catholic Church Unknown 504 S. Libercy Screec, Perryopolis (Fayette Councy) May 5, 1998 98000398 Mount St. Peter Roman Catholic Church Enos Cooke 100 Freeport Road, New Kensington (Wescmoreland Councy) November 14, 1991 91001706 Cambria City Historic District St. Casimir (Polish) Church Walter Myton Immaculate Conception (German) Church William P. Ginther St. Emerich (Hungarian) Church Unknown [demolished in 2003) St. Columba Church John T. Comes St. Stephen (Slovak) Church Joseph Mollitor St. Mary Byzantine Catholic Church John T. Comes Johnstown (Cambria Councy) September 4, 2012 Ursuline Young Ladies Academy Carlcon Srrong 201 S. Winebiddle Street, Piccsburgh Charles Geisler (Allegheny Councy) Raymond Marlier Pennsylvania State Historical Markers The Pennsylvania State Historical Markers program originated with the establishment in 1913 of the Pennsylvania Historical Commission, which was succeeded in 1945 by the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission. The Commission identifies historically significant sites within the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and installs com memorative Markers. The following are the locations in Western Pennsylvania with such Markers identifying build ings, sites or individuals with a Catholic connection: Date of Historical Location Historical Marker Marker Significance NIA St. Marys St. Marys Screet (PA 255) Founded in 1842 by near the Diamond the German-American Sc. Marys Catholic Brotherhood as (Elk Councy) Marienstadc, a haven for Catholics July 16, 1946 St. Patrick's Church East Brady Road First Roman Catholic (PA Route 268) congregation in western (Armstrong Councy) Pennsylvania Dec. 10, 1946 St. Vincent Sr. Vincent Archabbey First Benedictine institution [marker missing) U.S. Route 30, 6.6 mi. east of Greensburg in U.S. in 1846 (Wesrmoreland Councy) Dec. 10, 1946 St. Xavier's St. Xavier Academy Oldest institution of Sisters U.S. Route 30 and Sr. Xavier Road of Mercy in the U.S. in 1843 Unicy Twp. (near Latrobe) (Westmoreland Councy) April 1947/May 28, 1948 Gallitzin Spring Old U.S. Route 22, 2 miles east of Cambria Councy line The spring was a favorite (Blair Councy) stopping place of Catholic missionary, Fr. Galliczin Aug. 19, 1947 Demetrius Basilica of St. Michael Archangel Tomb of Russian prince Gallitzin 319 Mary Streer priest who founded Loretco Loretco Catholic community in 1799 (Cambria Councy) 18 Historic Catholic Landmarks in Western Pennsylvania (continued) Date of Historical Location Historical Marker Marker Significance Aug. 19, 1947 Loretto St. Joseph St. (PA Route 1005) & Admiral Peary Highway Loretto, 3.5 miles NW of Cresson marker, was founded by (Cambria County) Father Gallitzin as a Catholic colony in 1799 June 29, 1948 Loretto 2000 Manor Road Father Gallitzin's first school (PA Route 1005) in 1800 (forerunner of St. St. Francis University St. Francis College) and Loretto home of steel baron (Cambria County) Charles Schwab May 8, 1959 Fort Duquesne Point State Park, Pittsburgh Original French fort (Allegheny County) Oct. 5, 1978 Duquesne University Administration Building First Catholic institution of Bluff Street, Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) higher learning in western Pennsylvania July 7. 1985 St. Mary's Church St. Mary Church 1847 parish established in Newell Creek Road "Irish Settlement" - mother off PA Route 155 church of Catholics in Sartwell (McKean County) McKean and Potter Counties Dec. 21, 1993 Sisters of Mercy 800 Penn Avenue, Downtown, Pittsburgh First Mercy convent in the (Allegheny County) U.S. on Dec. 21, 1843 May 27, 1994 Mercy Hospital 1400 Locust Street, Pittsburgh First Mercy Hospital in (Allegheny County) the world, founded in 1847 Sept. 23, 1994 75th Anniversary of Great Good Shepherd Church The church was the only safe Steel Strike of 1919 (former Sc. Michael Church) meeting place for strikers due Braddock Avenue at 14th Street to Rev. Adalbert Kazincy, Braddock (Allegheny County) pastor - across from Edgar Thompson Works Sept. 26, 2003 Sister Bernard Sheridan St. Vincent Hospital, Pioneer nurse anesthetist (1860-1924) 232 West 25th Street Erie (Erie County) 2004 Rev. Richard Christy St. John the Evangelise Church Pennsylvania's first Catholic (1829-1878) 455 Clearfield Road Civil War chaplain - "Fighting Fenelton Chaplain of the Army of the (Buder County) Cumberland" Sept. 4, 2004 Johnny Unitas Arsenal Middle School Graduate of Sc. Justin H.S. (1933-2002) 40th and Buder Streets in 1951; led Baltimore Colts Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) to NFL championship in 1958; Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee in 1979 Oct. 31. 2009 John M. Phillips St. Pius X Byzantine Catholic Church Creator of state game lands (1861-1953) 2336 Brownsville Road, Pittsburgh system (Allegheny County) Jan. 27, 2013 John T. Comes St. Agnes Center Prominent ecclesiastical (1873-1922) at Carlow University architect 3219 Fifth Avenue Pittsburgh (Allegheny County) St Bonlflce Is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sisters of DMne Providence Motherhouse Is a Pittsburgh Prince Gallltzln historic marker History Be Landmarks Foundation Historic Landmark. 19 Historic Catholic Landmarks in Western Pennsylvania (continued) City of Pittsburgh Historic Designations Nominations for City of Pittsburgh historic designations for individual structures and districts are reviewed by the Historic Review Commission of the City of Pittsburgh and the City Planning Commission, which make recommen dations to Pittsburgh City Council, which makes the final decision to designate buildings and districts as historic. The designations of Catholic structures include: Date Listed Historic Place Architect February 22, 1977 Shrine of St. Anthony of Padua Rev. Suitbert G. Mollinger 1700 Harpster Street, Troy Hill August 20, 1982 Ursuline Academy Thomas Carlton Strong 201 S. Winebiddle Street Charles Geisler Bloomfield Raymond Marlier February 23, 200 I St. Michael Church and rectory Charles Bartberger (church) 21 Pius Street, South Side Frederick C. Sauer {rectory) July 13, 2001 St. Nicholas Croatian Church Frederick C. Sauer 1326 East Ohio Street, North Side (demolished in January 2013) December 30, 2008 St. Mary's Academy