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Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church

The founding of Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Cleveland, OH was a result of the tremendous growth of the Slovak immigrant community in the late 1800’s. In 1902 members of St. Ladislaus church requested that a new parish be established in the Newburgh neighborhood on the city’s east side. Services were held in a rented hall until a parish school was built in 1903, which was replaced with the current school building in 1916. A standalone church sanctuary was built in 1925 and opened in 1927.

Like many other urban churches, Nativity fell victim to declining attendance as its members moved out into the suburbs and closed in 1992. Though the church has had several owners since, none have been able to afford the expensive upkeep required of an old building, and the church has been abandoned.