Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church
Why it's listed
Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church, completed in 1914 at 2226 Ventura Street in downtown Fresno, is a red brick church with a cross-shaped plan, a central dome and a bell tower with an octagonal roof. Architect L. K. Condrajian, also known as L. K. Cone, drew on Armenian churches of the fourth to seventeenth centuries. He added a Beaux-Arts styled entrance with columns and an arched broken pediment. The building was dedicated on November 13, 1914, after the congregation's earlier church burned in 1913, and it cost $22,594.84 to build. The nomination describes it as the first church in the United States built in the tradition of Armenian church architecture and the first designed by an Armenian architect. It stood at the center of Fresno's "Armenian Town," much of which was later cleared for a convention complex, freeways and a hotel. Locally it is known as the "Red Brick Church." The exterior is little changed, while the interior was altered after a 1956 fire.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it was the first church built in the United States in the tradition of Armenian church architecture, and the first designed by an Armenian architect. It has been a focal point for Fresno's Armenian community since 1914. It is also one of the last major buildings tied to the old "Armenian Town."
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86002097, listed July 31, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2226 Ventura St., Fresno |
|---|---|
| County | Fresno County |
| Listed | July 31, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002097 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1914 |
| Architect / builder | L. K. Condrajian (L. K. Cone) |
| Architectural style | Armenian church architecture with a Beaux-Arts styled entrance |
| Areas of significance | Asian, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; the form rates its condition as excellent, with minor exterior alterations and more interior change. A newer social hall and classroom building behind it is excluded from the nomination. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 36.73169, -119.78262 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86002097.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5886493
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.