Logan St. John the Evangelist Church will celebrate the 125th anniversary of the laying of the cornerstone of the current church on Saturday, June 10. The event, beginning at 6 p.m. in the social hall, 351 North Market St., will include a cookout, a visit from the Kona Ice truck and live music by local string band Ten Hearts.
The history of St. John begins with the first Catholics in Hocking County, six families who emigrated from Germany in 1837. As they settled into the area, they celebrated Mass with a traveling pastor every six to seven weeks.
As the community grew, members purchased property outside the city limits for the first church in 1848, and the parish was placed under the patronage of St. John the Evangelist. The foundation of the original church and the old cemetery still exist on the west side of Walnut Dowler Road on top of the hill. The site offers a beautiful view in a peaceful setting.
Even with a church building, parishioners still could receive the Eucharist only every six weeks. In 1858, a petition was sent to the bishop requesting a resident pastor for Logan, with a promised annual salary of $473.50.
A year later, in 1859, with a parish of about 300 people, members purchased the North Market Street property. A wooden frame church was built by a parishioner where the rectory now stands, and the parish began worshipping there by 1861.
Ground was broken for the current church building in 1896, and work was completed in June 1898. The Hocking Sentinel reported that more than 3,000 people came by train to attend the dedication.
The parish’s elementary school, St. John Catholic School, was built in 1924, with classes offered for grades one through eight. The school was originally run by Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur, who lived in the convent on the property. While the sisters are no longer with us, St. John School continues to educate students in preschool through sixth grade.
In addition to the school, the St. John parish has remained active in the community through organizations such as the Knights of Columbus, the St. Vincent de Paul Society and We Are Friends, as well as with events such as fish fries, community dinners and movie nights.
St. John the Evangelist Church is on the National Register of Historic Places.