Church of the Ascension
Why it's listed
Church of the Ascension at 160 Rock Street in Fall River is a Victorian Gothic church built of local granite with red brick and Scotch stone trim. It was dedicated on November 29, 1875, and serves the city's oldest Episcopal parish, founded in 1836. The congregation had met in several rented and purchased buildings, including one that burned in 1850, before building the present church. Granite was chosen partly because the earlier church had burned. Fall River firm Covel & Baker received the masonry contract for $39,250, and English donors helped cover the high cost. The architect is not known. A buttressed square tower with a crenellated cap and corner pinnacles marks the building, and pointed-arch windows add to its Gothic character. A side garden, an attached chapel added in 1964 and a brick and shingle parish house from 1910 soften its tight urban massing. Its design quality, workmanship and long parish history supported its listing under Criteria A and C.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a distinguished Victorian Gothic building with high-quality design and workmanship, notable for the textural contrast of Fall River granite with red brick and Scotch stone trim. It is also tied to the history of the city's oldest Episcopal parish, founded in 1836. It is cited as meeting Criteria A and C.
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 83000653, listed February 16, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 160 Rock St., Fall River |
|---|---|
| County | Bristol County |
| Listed | February 16, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83000653 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Covel & Baker (builders, masonry contract); architect not known |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Present use is as a church. |
| Acreage | 0.4 |
| Coordinates | 41.70118, -71.15287 (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 83000653.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5117799
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.