St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
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Why it's listed
Built in 1887 at 521 E. 8th Street in National City, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church is a small wooden church in a simple Gothic style influenced by English country churches. A steep gable roof covers the altar, nave and entrance, and a tall octagonal side bell tower with an unusual broken roofline dominates the design. The design is attributed to a Mr. Crocker of Chula Vista, reportedly inspired by pictures of a church in southern England. Timbers are Georgia pine and the remaining wood is California redwood, milled at Frank Kimball's sawmill. The interior wood, varnished at construction, has never been refinished. The congregation traces to an Episcopal society formed in 1882, and services have been held regularly since July 1887. It is considered the oldest remaining church building in National City and very likely the oldest Protestant church building in San Diego County. Changes have been minor, and it was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey in 1970.
Significance in brief: The nomination cites its architecture, its craftsmanship, and its age: it is the oldest remaining church building in National City and very likely the oldest Protestant church building in San Diego County. It stands on its original site with only minor changes. It was also recorded by the Historic American Buildings Survey and declared a historic building by the National City council.
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 73000432, listed October 25, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 521 E. 8th St., National City |
|---|---|
| County | San Diego County |
| Listed | October 25, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000432 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 7-3-1887) |
| Architect / builder | Mr. Crocker of Chula Vista (design attributed) |
| Architectural style | Simple Gothic with strong influence of the English country church |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use for regular services by its congregation and shared with a Samoan congregation; condition described as good and lovingly maintained. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 32.67773, -117.10155 (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 73000432.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5909008
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.