St. Anthony Church

Side A: Construction for the current St. Anthony Church began in 1890 after the original wood-frame church became too small to serve the steadily growing congregation of Polish immigrants coming into the Toledo area. Completed in 1894, St. Anthony was the second Polish church built in Toledo and became known as the “mother” church for the local Polish community serving as many as 8,000 parishioners piror to the 1970s. The first Mass was celebrated on March 4, 1894. (continued on other side) Side B: (continued from other side) St. Anthony Church served an area known as “Kuschwantz” or cow’s tail, possibly referring to the rural nature of the area. This area became the initial settlement for a large number of Polish immigrants from the Poznan area of Poland during the late 1800s. St. Anthony played an integral part in the lives of these oppressed immigrants and was a focal point for those who came to build a new life of freedom for themselves in the United States.