St. Louis Church

Address: 15 Star Road, North Star, Ohio, 45350 (Darke County)Phone: (419) 582-2531 Website

Mass Times: Sat. 16:30 (July to Dec.); Sun. 08:30 (Jan. to June), 10:30 (July to Dec.);Tue. 08:00; Thurs. 08:00

Parish Founded: 1892 Church Built: 1914

Architect: Unknown Architectural Style: Gothic and Greek

History: In the late 1800's, Catholics were few in the Osgood, Yorkshire and North Star areas, and they had to travel great distances by horse and buggy to go to Sunday Mass. Twenty-two families joined together and received permission to build a mission church in early 1892, under the leadership of Father Leo Boehmer, CPPS, pastor of St. Denis in Versailles. Delvin was chosen for the site of the new church since it was centrally located. In early April 1892 work was begun by the DeCurtain Brothers. They built the 40' x 60' wooden church, pews and altar. The Parish selected the name St. Louis in honor of the saintly King of France, also giving honor to their first pastor, Father Louis Hefele, CPPS, pastor of Versailles. Dedication was held on Dec. 28, 1892 and Mass was offered every other Sunday. During the first nine years various Precious Blood priests took care of the needs of the parish. In 1901 the pastoral work was given the diocesan clergy and St. Louis was now considered a mission parish of St. Denis.

In the summer of 1913 St. Louis parishioners decided it was time for them to build or move the present church to North Star. The decision was made to build a new church. In 1914 the parishioners excavated the basement by using large scoops pulled by horses, and they hauled many loads of gravel. The cornerstone was laid on May 24, 1914 with a large and excited crowd attending the ceremony. Dedication was held on September 6, 1914 and Reverend Joseph Reverman was the first permanent pastor. The new church measuring 60' x 90' was a combination of Gothic and Greek architecture finished in stucco. In the fall of 1919, the entire debt of St. Louis Parish had been paid.