Gruenwald Convent

United States historic place


Gruenwald Convent
U.S. National Register of Historic Places

Front and side of the convent
40°24′1″N 84°33′3″W / 40.40028°N 84.55083°W / 40.40028; -84.55083
Area	0 acres (0 ha)
Built	1854
MPS	Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio TR
NRHP reference No.	79002813^[1]
Added to NRHP	July 26, 1979

The Gruenwald Convent is a historic former Roman Catholic convent in the far western part of the U.S. state of Ohio. Located approximately 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of the small community of Cassella in Mercer County, the convent was built in 1854.^[1] It is one of six convents that were built by the Missionaries of the Precious Blood in this portion of Ohio and in adjacent portions of far eastern Indiana, and one of only two that remain without significant alterations.^[2]^: 2

History

Under the leadership of Francis de Sales Brunner, the Missionaries constructed six convents in southern Mercer County and surrounding areas between 1846 and 1856. Patterned after the monasteries that had housed the order's members in Europe, these convents were some of the most prominent buildings in the region — surrounded by small frame houses, these brick structures resembled fortresses. Five other convents were built: one affiliated with St. Augustine's Church in Minster, one affiliated with St. Joseph's Church in Egypt, the Himmelgarten convent near St. Henry, the Maria Stein Convent, and one affiliated with Holy Trinity Church in Trinity, Indiana. By the late 1970s, only the Gruenwald and Trinity convents remained in a condition resembling their original state:^[2]^: 2 Himmelgarten was sold more than one hundred years ago,^[3] and has since been destroyed; the Minster convent likewise is no longer in existence; and the Egypt and Maria Stein convents had been significantly modified.^[2]^: 2

Architecture

The Gruenwald Convent is a two-and-a-half story structure. Built on a stone foundation, its walls are brick, and it is covered by an asphalt roof.^[4] It is significantly smaller than some of the other convents of the region; for example, the Maria Stein Convent is a complex of seventeen buildings, some of which are much larger than the Gruenwald Convent.^[5] After the Gruenwald Convent ceased to be used for its original purpose, it was converted into a typical residence; consequently, it is also known as the "McDowell House".^[4]

Historic status

In 1979, the Gruenwald Convent was one of more than thirty buildings added to the National Register of Historic Places as a part of a multiple property submission known as the "Cross-Tipped Churches of Ohio Thematic Resources." This collection included historically significant buildings in the vicinity of Maria Stein that were related to the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. The many massive Gothic Revival churches in this collection have become the namesake for the region, which is commonly known as the "Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches."^[2]^: 6 The convent was listed on the Register both because of its contribution to the region's history and because of its connection to Francis de Sales Brunner.^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service. March 13, 2009.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Brown, Mary Ann and Mary Niekamp. National Register of Historic Places Inventory/Nomination: Cross-Tipped Churches Thematic Resources. National Park Service, July 1978. Accessed 2010-05-31.
^ Scranton, S.S. History of Mercer County, Ohio and Representative Citizens. Chicago: Biographical, 1907, 224.
^ ^a ^b ^c Gruenwald Convent, Ohio Historical Society, 2007. Accessed 2010-05-31.
^ Brown, Mary Ann. Ohio Historic Inventory Nomination: Maria Stein Convent and Shrine of the Holy Relics. Ohio Historical Society, March 1978.

National Register of Historic Places in Mercer County, Ohio

Historic district

Celina Main Street Commercial Historic District

Other
properties

Cassella Catholic Church and Rectory
Chickasaw School and Rectory
Coldwater Catholic Church Complex
Fort Recovery Site
Matthias Gast House and General Store
Sen. Thomas J. Godfrey House
Grand Lake St. Marys Lighthouse
Gruenwald Convent
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Complex
Maria Stein Catholic Church and Rectory
Maria Stein Convent
Mendon Town Hall
Otis Hospital
Philothea Catholic Church and Priest House
Calvin E. Riley House
St. Aloysius Catholic Church
St. Anthony Catholic Church, Padua
St. Bernard Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Charles Seminary and Chapel
St. Francis Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Henry Catholic Church
St. Joseph Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Paul's Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Peter Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Rose Catholic Church Complex
St. Sebastian Catholic Church and Rectory
St. Wendelin Catholic Church, School, and Rectory
Wallischeck Homestead

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v t e Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches
Churches	Holy Family Holy Rosary Coldwater Catholic Church Complex Immaculate Conception Nativity of the Virgin St. Aloysius St. Anthony St. Augustine St. Bernard St. Francis St. Henry St. John St. John the Baptist St. Joseph (Egypt) St. Joseph (St. Joe) St. Joseph (Wapakoneta) St. Louis St. Mary St. Michael St. Nicholas St. Patrick (Glynwood) St. Patrick (St. Patrick) St. Paul St. Peter St. Remy St. Rose St. Sebastian St. Wendelin
Other buildings	Botkins Elementary School Chickasaw School and Rectory Gruenwald Convent Immaculate Conception Rectory Maria Stein Convent Minster Elementary School Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory St. Charles Seminary and Chapel

Land of the Cross-Tipped Churches

Churches

Holy Family
Holy Rosary
Coldwater Catholic Church Complex
Immaculate Conception
Nativity of the Virgin
St. Aloysius
St. Anthony
St. Augustine
St. Bernard
St. Francis
St. Henry
St. John
St. John the Baptist
St. Joseph (Egypt)
St. Joseph (St. Joe)
St. Joseph (Wapakoneta)
St. Louis
St. Mary
St. Michael
St. Nicholas
St. Patrick (Glynwood)
St. Patrick (St. Patrick)
St. Paul
St. Peter
St. Remy
St. Rose
St. Sebastian
St. Wendelin

Other buildings

Botkins Elementary School
Chickasaw School and Rectory
Gruenwald Convent
Immaculate Conception Rectory
Maria Stein Convent
Minster Elementary School
Sacred Heart of Jesus Rectory
St. Charles Seminary and Chapel

Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati

v t e Ordinaries of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Bishop	Edward Fenwick
Archbishops	John Baptist Purcell William Henry Elder Henry K. Moeller John T. McNicholas Karl Joseph Alter Paul Francis Leibold Joseph Bernardin Daniel Edward Pilarczyk Dennis Marion Schnurr
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v t e Churches in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Cathedral	Cathedral Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains
Parishes	Cincinnati Church of the Annunciation Immaculata Church Old St. Mary's Church St. Aloysius on the Ohio St. Francis De Sales Church Saint Francis Seraph Church St. Francis Xavier Church St. Lawrence Church St. Pius X Church St. Rose Church Dayton Holy Cross Church Sacred Heart Church St. Adalbert Church St. Mary's Church Springfield St. Joseph's Church St. Raphael's Church Other Immaculate Conception Church, Botkins St. Aloysius Church, Carthagena Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, Cassella Immaculate Conception Church, Celina Precious Blood Church, Chickasaw Our Lady of Victory Church, Delhi Township St. Joseph's Church, Egypt Holy Family Church, Frenchtown St. John's Church, Fryburg St. Patrick's Church, Glynwood St. John the Baptist Church, Maria Stein Sacred Heart Church, McCartyville St. Michael's Church, Mechanicsburg St. Augustine's Church, Minster St. Louis Church, North Star St. Nicholas Church, Osgood St. Anthony's Church, Padua St. Remy's Church, Russia St. Henry's Church, St. Henry Holy Rosary Church, St. Marys St. Rose's Church, St. Rose St. Sebastian's Church, Sebastian St. Joseph's Church, Wapakoneta
Former parishes	All Saints Church, Cincinnati Holy Trinity Church, Cincinnati St. Augustine Church, Cincinnati St. George's Church, Cincinnati St. Michael the Archangel Church, Cincinnati St. Paul Church, Cincinnati St. Philomena's Church, Cincinnati St. Patrick's Church, St. Patrick
Shrine	Shrine of the Holy Relics

v t e Education in the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Higher education	Chatfield College University of Dayton Edgecliff College Mount St. Joseph University Xavier University
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v t e Clergy of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati
Auxiliary bishops	Sylvester Horton Rosecrans Joseph H. Albers George John Rehring Paul Francis Leibold Edward A. McCarthy Nicholas Elko Daniel Edward Pilarczyk James Henry Garland Carl K. Moeddel Joseph R. Binzer
Priests	John Martin Henni Edward Fitzgerald Clarence George Issenmann Henry Damian Juncker Joshua Maria Young John Baptist Lamy James Frederick Wood John Henry Luers Caspar Henry Borgess Richard Gilmour John Quinlan Augustus Toebbe Joseph Gregory Dwenger Henry Richter Francis Beckman Urban John Vehr Francis Augustine Thill Anthony John King Mussio John Joseph Kaising Robert Daniel Conlon Michael William Warfel Earl K. Fernandes