Ohio inventions and firsts · First · 1818; present church 1843
Saint Joseph Church near Somerset, described as the oldest Catholic church in Ohio
Saint Joseph Church stands just outside Somerset on State Route 383. Its first log church was dedicated on December 6, 1818, and the present building was completed in 1843. Wikipedia describes it as the oldest Catholic church in Ohio and the home of Ohio's oldest Catholic parish, served by Dominican priests since its start.
At a glance
- Year
- 1818; present church 1843
- Place
- near Somerset, Perry County ZIP 43783 · Perry County
Why it matters
An early center of Catholic life in Ohio near Zane's Trace.
Who gets the credit is disputed
The Ohio claim. Wikipedia's Somerset and Saint Joseph's Church articles call it the oldest Catholic church in Ohio and its parish the oldest in the state.
The other claims. This is the standard local and Wikipedia claim; the church building dates from 1843 and the 1818 log church was the first Catholic church building, so 'oldest church' refers to the parish and its first church, not today's building.
Sources
Confidence. Medium: the main facts were confirmed, but some details (often an address or ZIP code) were not.