The Foundry is a local non-profit organization whose mission is to transform the lives of Cleveland’s youth through access to the sports of rowing and sailing. Through the Row. Sail. Dream. program, the Foundry provides introductory rowing and sailing programming to all 6th-12th grade students from public school districts across the County, at no cost to financially qualifying households.

The Foundry is located on the historic site of St. Mary’s on the Flats Church, the first Catholic Church in the City of Cleveland.  As workers flocked to Cleveland for manufacturing and Canal jobs there was a need for Catholic masses for the Polish, Irish, German and other workers. 

1813 Columbus Rd. on the Cuyahoga River became the site of the first Catholic Church in the city. It was dedicated in 1840 as “Our Lady of the Lake” but was more often called St Mary’s on the Flats.  See more from St Mary’s on the Flats Church.

St Mary is the patron saint of navigation and shipping so the Church was named in her honor to protect the ships and crews on their voyages.  Here is a quick walkthrough of the current site of the Church with a look at the paintings on the building wall telling about it.

The location is right on the banks of the Cuyahoga River. Cuyahoga means “crooked” and the twists and turns of the crooked Cuyahoga River take great skill to navigate – especially for huge ships such as the 635′ Sam Laud Ship.

The ship was built for American Steamship in 1975 and named for a former company chairman, Sam Laud.  The ship can be briefly seen during the opening credits for the 1989 film Major League. See more of the Sam Laud on the Cuyahoga.

Take a quick video look of the Sam Laud on the Cuyahoag River.