St. Paul Catholic Church parish began in 1867 on four acres purchased by nine German-born families and was established from the nearby parish of St. Wendelin. By the following year, a 30 x 40 frame church had been built under the direction of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood, and as more families, especially from Lorain County, Ohio, bought land within the parish boundaries, plans were made for a larger church. Begun in 1886 as a cooperative effort by parishioners, the present church was designed by architect Anton DeCurtins of Carthagena, Ohio, who directed construction to exacting Germanic standards. Dedicated in March 1889, the imposing Gothic-Revival brick church measures 100 feet by 48 feet, with a tower rising 125 feet, five exterior bays divided by brick buttresses capped with triangular finials, and extensive use of triangles as a symbol of God and the Trinity. Its tower and steeple, visible for miles, contain bells that have summoned parishioners for generations, while the interior features lined ribbing, multiple arches springing from Corinthian-style bases, and stained glass windows depicting the life of St. Paul. Significant renovations were completed in 1971 and 1979, the church was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979, St. Paul became part of the Fort Recovery Cluster in 2004, and care of the parish was transferred to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati in 2006. The surrounding area was known as Sharpsburg, or “sheep city,” when the church was built in 1868. In 1886 the Violet Post Office was established with John P. Wourms as postmaster, and George and Barbara Zenz, originally from Lorain County, Ohio, developed a country store at the northeast corner of Meiring and Sharpsburg Roads that expanded into a larger building by 1872. Their son John Zenz joined the business, and by 1898 a two-story brick building housed a successful general store and tavern, while John and Rosa Zenz built a large home nicknamed “the castle.” In 1908 the village was platted as Zenz City. Andrew Forthofer purchased the store and tavern in 1914, later followed by Walter and Jean Forthofer, and a dance hall called Wonderland became a popular spot before eventually being converted to a supermarket. Sharpsburg was also known for the Sharpsburg Speeds ball team, became a leader in the poultry industry, and today Big K Mills represents the village’s agricultural heritage. Sharpsburg School, located on church property in 1872, was replaced by a one-room brick school in 1906 designed by the DeCurtins Firm to complement St. Paul Church. Though built as a public school and administered by the Sharpsburg School Board, students attended Mass before school and received Catechism and Bible History from the pastor. An addition in 1937 created three classrooms and an auditorium, and by 1962 the school had eight classrooms. Church buses brought St. Paul students from outside the Fort Recovery School District. In 1966 the school was separated from the parish because of a lawsuit, and in 1972 a parish hall and five additional classrooms were added to the church for religious instruction.