Washington Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Washington Presbyterian Church, at 206 East Robert Toombs Avenue in Washington, Georgia, is a white clapboard meeting house topped by a multi-stage steeple. Its auditorium, the oldest part, went up in 1825 as a plain rectangular building. Around 1836 a vestibule, pulpit and steeple were added, and a columned porch with fluted Doric columns followed about 1890. The church is regarded as a fine Georgia example of the New England Wren-Gibbs meeting house type, with a triglyph frieze in the steeple and an elliptical fanlight over the entrance echoed by an oval gable window. Inside, arched windows of handblown glass light a wainscoted room. The congregation also has a place in early Presbyterian history in northeast Georgia: John Springer, its first minister, was ordained in 1790 as the first minister ordained in the state. Alexander H. Webster, a pastor who died in 1827, is buried at the entrance. The building remained in use and largely unaltered in 1971.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a significant Georgia example of the New England Wren-Gibbs type meeting house, with well-proportioned composition and fine details such as the triglyph frieze and elliptical fanlight. It is also tied to the early growth of the Presbyterian movement in northeast Georgia, including the first minister ordained in Georgia.
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 72000412, listed April 11, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 206 E. Robert Toombs Ave., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Wilkes County |
| Listed | April 11, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000412 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific dates 1825, c.1836, c.1890) |
| Architectural style | Wren-Gibbs type New England meeting house |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and unaltered, on its original site; still in use by its congregation as of 1971. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Washington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 33.73568, -82.73598 (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 72000412.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14686939
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.