{"nrhp_refnum":"03001429","name":"St. Matthew's Church","other_names":["DHR File Number 028-0038"],"category":"building","location":{"address":"Jct. of VA 17, VA 631, and VA 724","address_restricted":false,"city":"Champlain","county":"Essex County","state":"VA","lat":38.01608347600006,"lon":-76.99092517299994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"2004-01-16","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A one-story brick Episcopal church at the intersection of Routes 17, 631 and 724 in Champlain, Essex County, Virginia. Construction began in 1861 and it was consecrated in 1870.","why_significant":"The nomination argues it is a good example of church architecture in Virginia, combining a colonial-style Anglican exterior with a nineteenth-century interior. It also reflects the revival of the Episcopal Church in Essex County in the early to mid-nineteenth century.","narrative":"Built as an Episcopal church in rural Essex County, Virginia, this one-story brick building stands at the junction of Routes 17, 631 and 724 in Champlain. Work began in 1861, the Civil War halted construction until 1865, and the church was consecrated in 1870. Its rectangular form, gable-end entry, east-west orientation and plain brick exterior, laid in three different bonds, closely echo Anglican churches of colonial Virginia. Inside, the arrangement reflects nineteenth-century practice: the pulpit and reading desk were placed in the chancel, and rows of pews replaced private boxes. A gallery with fluted Doric columns and a king post truss are among its features. The church served St. Anne's Parish for about a century before it was deconsecrated and sold in 1970. It then became a general store and is now an antique store. Its architecture and its link to the Episcopal revival in Essex County are the basis for its listing.","period_of_significance":"1860-1953","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Mid-19th Century: Greek Revival","criteria":["C"],"status_note":"Deconsecrated in 1970, converted to a general store, and currently used as an antique store.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:52:03.033172-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/51/6804/41680451/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/03001429.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/03001429/2413e0eb14-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/03001429/2413e0eb14-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Jennifer Acree","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OCS_Lg_azalea.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Jennifer Acree</a>, <a href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0\" rel=\"license noopener\">CC BY-SA 3.0</a>, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:OCS_Lg_azalea.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"100005837","name":"Occupacia-Rappahannock Rural Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/occupacia-rappahannock-rural-historic-district-100005837/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41680451","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Matthew%27s_Church_(Champlain,_Virginia)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14713248"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/essex-county/st-matthews-church-03001429/"}