Guide to the "Treasured Churches" Research Collection

History of "Treasured Churches" Research Collection

Rev. Donald Tenover (1926-1997) was a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, ordained on 8 September 1950. Among his many assignments, Rev. Tenover was the secretary to Abp. Karl J. Alter beginning in 1953 and then later pastor of St. Boniface and St. Joseph in North Bend. Rev. Tenover made a strong contribution to the cultural and artistic heritage of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. One example was his work on the restoration of the Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains (completed in 1957) and the chapel and offices of St. Gregory Seminary, where he worked on the interior designs. He also served as a consultant in the design of several churches in the archdiocese and the seals of eight bishops. "Treasured Churches" was a website Aquinas Multimedia (
www.aquinas-multimedia.com), no longer maintained (as of 2016). With the influx of German and Irish immigrants in Cincinnati in the 19th century, the churches reflected the artwork from Europe. Rev. Donald Tenover researched and wrote histories of several prominent Catholic Churches in Cincinnati, focusing on their architectural styles and artwork. These histories were then hosted on the website.

Scope and Content

The project "Treasured Churches" was undertaken during the mid-1990s. The research files for the churches researched include parish anniversary books, essays written on them or certain architectural aspects of the church (stained glass, marble statues, etc.). Some files contain printouts of the website and/or handwritten notes by Rev. Tenover. Files are arranged alphabetically by the churches followed by some general files, including copies of essays on art, church architecture, German artists, stained glass, Catholicism in Cincinnati in the 19th century and Bishops Edward Fenwick and John B. Purcell.

Statement of Arrangement

Restrictions on Access

This record group is open for access.

The following record groups held by the Archdiocese of Cincinnati Archives contain materials relevant to the Treasured Churches Research Collection. RG 3.06 Inventory of Cultural Goods RG 7.01 Church Histories RG 7.02 St. Peter in Chains Cathedral RG 12.05 Gerhard Lamers Collection

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects:

Preferred Citation

Item Description, date, box number, folder number, Record Group Number, Record Group Name, Archdiocese of Cincinnati Archives.

Detailed Description of The Collection