Arlington Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Also known as: Arlington United Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1908, this red brick church in downtown Arlington, Georgia, was designed by Columbus architect T. Firth Lockwood, Sr. in the Romanesque Revival style. Two front towers of different sizes flank an entrance set on a diagonal axis, and round-arched openings carry brick drip moldings. Inside, the sanctuary keeps its original pews, art glass windows and an octagonal exposed-beam ceiling with varnished tongue-and-groove paneling. A reception area beside the sanctuary, divided from it by original moveable panel doors, opens onto several Sunday school rooms in the Akron plan arrangement. The congregation dates to 1873 and first built a wooden church in 1876 before moving to this site. The building is valued as a very intact example of a major small-town church and as a work of an architect known for churches, courthouses and schools in southwest Georgia. It remains the oldest church building in the city and is still in regular use by the congregation.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a good, very intact example of turn-of-the-century Romanesque Revival design for a church in a small south Georgia town. It also uses the Akron plan, which added flexible smaller rooms to a traditional layout. It is the work of regional architect T. Firth Lockwood, Sr., and is the oldest church building in Arlington.
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 90000572, listed April 5, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Pioneer Rd. at Dogwood Dr., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Calhoun County |
| Listed | April 5, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000572 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1909 |
| Architect / builder | T. Firth Lockwood, Sr. of Columbus, Ga. (architect); H. A. Granger (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as an active church, the only Methodist congregation in Arlington, with very few changes to the main building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.43931, -84.72717 (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 90000572.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q29094966
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.