St. John the Evangelist parish was established in 1874, although the original church was dedicated in 1861. From its opening until 1872, St John was a mission of Sacred Heart Cathedral in Richmond. Because of the distance involved, visits from priests were infrequent. St. John parishioners built a rectory in 1872. Two years later, Father Jim Dougherty became the parish’s first resident priest. From the time of Father Dougherty’s departure in the early 1880s until 1913, St. John was once again without a resident priest and circuit-riding priests visited the parish once or twice a month.
The post-World War II era brought growth to the area, and by the late 1950s St. John was outgrowing the old church building. The parish purchased property on Winchester St., where they erected a school in 1960 and five years later, a new church.
Benedictine sisters from Bristow initially staffed St. John the Evangelist school. In 1968, the Sisters of Notre Dame (Chardon, OH) replaced the Benedictine sisters. Today, lay people staff the school.
In 1965, St. John’s parish dedicated the stone church in it's current location. The church is located in a residential neighborhood and provides a beautiful setting for the liturgies that are held daily and each weekend.
