{"nrhp_refnum":"79002228","name":"Zion Reformed Church","other_names":[],"category":"building","location":{"address":"S. Main and W. Liberty Sts.","address_restricted":false,"city":"Chambersburg","county":"Franklin County","state":"PA","lat":39.932843492000075,"lon":-77.66299111099994,"geom_source":"nps_gis"},"listed_date":"1979-12-17","is_nhl":false,"nhl_designated_date":null,"areas_of_significance":["Architecture","Religion"],"significance_levels":["local"],"summary":{"what_it_is":"Zion Reformed Church is a red brick church in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, with a steeple on its north end. The original structure was completed in 1813 and enlarged by an 1883 addition.","why_significant":"The nomination argues the church is a fine example of classical Georgian architecture, which it associates with Christopher Wren, and that it was the largest auditorium in Chambersburg, used for major public gatherings. It also cites the first Sunday School in Chambersburg, organized in 1829, and a ceremonial rose rent paid each June under the original deed.","narrative":"Red brick church in Chambersburg, Franklin County, Pennsylvania, with its cornerstone laid June 29, 1811, and completed in 1813 on a limestone foundation, using Flemish bond brickwork. Its design follows classical Georgian architecture, which the nomination links to Christopher Wren. An 1883 addition extended the rear, and interior changes in 1835, 1847 and 1950 reshaped the galleries, ceiling and pulpit. When first built it had the largest auditorium in Chambersburg and hosted major public gatherings, including an 1842 address by Archbishop Hughes and an 1867 address by Schuyler Colfax. The congregation's Sunday School, organized in 1829, was the first in Chambersburg. The church is also known for an annual ceremony in which a single rose is paid as rent to a descendant of Benjamin and Jane Chambers, as the original deed required.","period_of_significance":"1811-1899","architect_builder":null,"architectural_style":"Classical Georgian","criteria":["A","C"],"status_note":null,"vacant_flag":null,"machine_generated":true,"model":"claude-haiku-5-5","prompt_version":"v1.1-2026-10-29","generated_at":"2026-10-29 17:11:32.650563-05","source_pdf":"https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_PA/79002228.pdf"},"photo":{"url_800":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002228/02595eea1c-800.webp","url_1600":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/media/79002228/02595eea1c-1600.webp","licence":"Public domain","author":"Smallbones","credit_html":"<a href=\"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zion_Chambersburg.JPG\" rel=\"noopener\">Smallbones</a>, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons","source_page":"https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Zion_Chambersburg.JPG"},"district":{"nrhp_refnum":"82003789","name":"Chambersburg Historic District","url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/districts/pennsylvania/chambersburg-historic-district-82003789/"},"sources":{"nps_snapshot_date":"2026-05-22","nara_catalog":"https://catalog.archives.gov/id/71994985","wikipedia":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zion_Reformed_Church_(Chambersburg,_Pennsylvania)","wikidata":"https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q8072554"},"indexable":true,"url":"https://nationalhistoricalregister.com/pennsylvania/franklin-county/zion-reformed-church-79002228/"}