St. Michael was founded as a German ethnic parish in 1848.The first church was a frame structure. The cornerstone for this church was laid on July 16, 1848 and the church was dedicated on November 24, 1848. Within seven years, this church was deemed inadequate to meet the needs of a growing congregation and in August 1855 the cornerstone for a new church was laid. This church was dedicated on September 29, 1861 and served St. Michael parish for over a century. Renovations and improvements were made to the church in 1886, 1898, 1923 and 1948.

St. Michael is noted for two annual events. In 1849 a cholera epidemic struck the city. After 75 parishioners died of the disease, the congregation of St. Michael made a solemn vow to St. Roch that if they were spared further deaths, they would set aside a holy day within eight days of the Feast of the Assumption. The parish had no further deaths and when another epidemic struck the city in 1854, no parishioners died. Since then the parish has observed Cholera Day every year.

In 1910, a Passion Play, Veronica’s Veil, was written in Pittsburgh. The St. Michael’s Players, a parish drama society, first performed the play in 1913. Starting in 1919, this performance became an annual event in the parish, attended not only by parishioners but also by people from around the city and from out of town.

Due to population loss in the city, St. Michael was merged with the other South Side parishes in 1992 to form Prince of Peace parish. St. Michael church was closed as part of this merger and the building was sold.

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