Information
Holy Cross Roman Catholic Church complex (listed on the National Register), comprised of a church (1860), rectory-convent (1871), school (1903) and rectory (1928) provided the institutional foundation for South Baltimore’s German Catholic community during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Part of a German national parish, the original church was designed by German-born Baltimore architect Anton Pohl and constructed with the help of German parishioners in 1860. In 1885, architect George A. Frederick was hired to expand the church. The second church renovation took place in 1907. Father Darner had the church roof lowered 10 feet and the original wood vault structure replaced with steel. He also installed the current marble and pressed tin interior. Reminders of the German heritage that qualified the complex for National Register listing can be found throughout the building on the pews, stations of the cross, and stained glass.
Holy Cross parish in Federal Hill was the first and oldest faith community established in the south Baltimore area. The parish was founded in 1858 as a mission of St. Alphonsus Church for the one thousand Catholics of German descent who lived in South Baltimore. Within a decade, the mission church had grown to such proportions, that a German priest was recruited by the Redemptorists. The parish attained full status as Fr. Vogtmann, arrived and became pastor in 1869. He immediately began plans for a rectory which was begun in 1870 and completed in May 1871. In later years, this rectory was given to the Sisters of Christian Charity to be used as a convent. An addition was made to the church in 1885, including a towering steeple crowned with a copper cross. Rising two hundred feet, this landmark in South Baltimore was damaged in 1980 when powerful spring storms caused one of the four 1,000 pound steeple ornaments to fall through the church roof causing extensive damage to the sacristy.
As a combined parish community with Our Lady of Good Counsel, Catholic Community of Baltimore is preparing to restore the original stained glass windows, and continue to rehabilitate and restore this building.
What to expect: self guided tour and an exhibit of archival materials from the parish
