{"nrhp_refnum":"74002245","name":"Salem Presbyterian Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"E. Main and Market Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Salem (Independent City)","county":"Salem","state":"VA","lat":37.29305165200003,"lon":-80.05703950299994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1974-10-15","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture"],"significance_levels":["state"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"A Greek Revival temple-form brick church at East Main and Market Streets in downtown Salem, Virginia, built 1851-1852 and still used as a Presbyterian church.","why_significant":"The nomination calls it one of the Roanoke Valley's most beautiful examples of Greek Revival architecture and a principal landmark of downtown Salem. It shows a self-assured handling of Greek elements and balanced proportions, with details drawn from builders' handbooks by Asher Benjamin and Owen Biddle.","narrative":"Greek Revival design defines this brick church at East Main and Market Streets in Salem, Virginia. Presbyterians organized in Salem in 1831 and began the present building in 1851 after outgrowing their first church. Dedication took place on August 8, 1852. Slave labor built it, its bricks were burnt on the site, and its cost of about $4,500 was paid before dedication. The temple-form building measures 40 by 80 feet and has a projecting Ionic portico, Doric pilasters, and a belfry. Many details come from plates by Asher Benjamin and Owen Biddle. The master builder is unknown, though Benjamin Deyerle is suggested, and the woodwork is attributed to carpenter Gustavia D. Sedon. Later changes include a replaced spire, a 1928 domed lantern, a rear Sunday school addition from 1914 and further additions in 1956. It remains an important downtown landmark and an active congregation's church.","period_of_significance":"19th Century (specific dates 1851-1852)","architect_builder":"Master builder not determined; possibly Benjamin Deyerle. Woodwork attributed to Gustavia D. Sedon, a Roanoke County carpenter.","architectural_style":"Greek Revival","criteria":[],"status_note":"Condition good and altered; occupied and in religious use as the city's chief Presbyterian church.","vacant_flag":false,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.0-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 02:51:57.105154-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/opastorage/live/66/6835/41683566/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_VA/74002245.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74002245/479a7e8cdf-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/74002245/479a7e8cdf-1600.webp","licence":"CC BY-SA 3.0","author":"Cdenas","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SalemPresbyterian.jpg\" rel=\"noopener\">Cdenas</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:SalemPresbyterian.jpg"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"96000591","name":"Downtown Salem Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/virginia/downtown-salem-historic-district-96000591/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/41683566","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salem_Presbyterian_Church_(Salem,_Virginia)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q14713170"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/virginia/salem/salem-presbyterian-church-74002245/"}