St. Louis Catholic Church, Toledo

Saint Louis Catholic Church was founded in 1871 to serve the local French-speaking immigrant community, under the leadership of its first pastor, Father Gauthier. The cornerstone for the brick-and-stone church was laid the same year. The parish school, established in 1880, once stood alongside but closed in 1970 as demographics shifted.

Constructed in a traditional Gothic Revival style, Saint Louis presents a classical Latin-cross layout enhanced by twin steeples and elegant stained-glass windows. Its sanctuary houses an historic Kimball organ from 1903 and an open-work Medina sandstone spire that rises nearly 245 feet-among the tallest stone spires in the United States.

Beyond its architectural beauty, Saint Louis is recognised for its social outreach. In 1981 the parish launched “Helping Hands,” a ministry offering meals, clothing, and support to anyone in need, regardless of background. Now part of the Emmaus Cluster of local Catholic congregations, it continues to serve both spiritual and communal needs.