Lincolnton Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Lincolnton Presbyterian Church is a one-story weatherboard building with a gable roof and a square, box-like steeple, set beside a cemetery on North Washington Street in Lincolnton, Georgia. It is said to have been built in 1823 on about three acres given by Colonel Peter Lamar for a school, house of worship or other public use. The church served as a union church, meeting house to Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists. The Baptists, incorporated in 1825, met there until 1876, and the Methodists until 1915, after which the Presbyterians used it alone. A foyer was created in the early 1900s by partitioning the sanctuary, and the windows were shortened when decorative glass was added. The cemetery, with an earliest marked grave from 1834, later became the unofficial town cemetery. The property was recognized at the state level for its role in religious history, because union churches were scarce and this one remained in use into the 20th century.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the property is significant in Georgia's religious history as a union church, a building shared by separately incorporated congregations. Presbyterians, Methodists and Baptists all met here, the Methodists until 1915. Union churches are scarce, and this one remained in use in a major town into the 20th century.
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 82002451, listed August 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | N. Washington St., Lincolnton |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Listed | August 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82002451 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific date 1823) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church; condition marked good and altered, on its original site. The cemetery serves as the unofficial town cemetery. |
| Acreage | 3 |
| Within district | Lincolnton Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.79028, -82.48030 (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 82002451.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14686698
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.