St. Paul's Episcopal Church
,_605_Reynolds_Street,_Augusta_(Richmond_County,_Georgia).jpg){kind=link}
Why it's listed
St. Paul's Episcopal Church occupies a downtown Augusta block that has served as a religious and military landmark since the 1700s. The first church was dedicated here in 1750-51 beside Fort Augusta, which was later renamed Fort Cornwallis and captured during the Revolution. The third church, designed by John Lund and built in 1818, burned in 1916. Architect Henry Wendell then supervised a close reconstruction in red brick laid in Flemish bond, with a Doric colonnade, a Palladian-style window over the entrance, limestone quoin work and a domed bell tower. Inside are arched vaulted ceilings, coupled pilasters and stained glass memorial windows. The nomination values the building as an early example of careful, though not archaeological, reconstruction. The churchyard holds graves from the earliest colonial years, including a governor and a Revolutionary-era commodore, and a granite Celtic cross marks the fort site. Together the church and gardens form a green, history-filled space in the city center.
Significance in brief: The site marks the 1750-51 founding of St. Paul's church, the location of Fort Augusta (later Fort Cornwallis), and a historic churchyard. The present building is argued to be an early 20th century attempt at a faithful copy of an early 19th century building, predating major archaeological reconstructions such as Colonial Williamsburg. The grounds also form a park-like space in downtown Augusta.
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 73000642, listed April 11, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 6th and Reynolds Sts., Augusta |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond County |
| Listed | April 11, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73000642 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Henry Wendell (1916 reconstruction); John Lund (original 1818 design) |
| Architectural style | Federal style copy with classical revival colonnade |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition marked excellent, altered, on its original site; in religious use. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Augusta Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.47605, -81.96147 (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 73000642.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591091
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.