La Fargeville United Methodist Church
Why it's listed
This frame church and attached parsonage sit well back from Main Street in the hamlet of La Fargeville, Jefferson County. The three-bay, gable-front main block was built about 1850 as the Orleans Academy, a short-lived secondary school for young men founded by Russell Biddlecom. After classes were suspended in 1855, the Methodist-Episcopal Society bought the building for worship. A renovation in 1873 added a bell tower with a cross-gabled belfry and a four-bay parsonage with turned porch supports and sawn brackets. Repairs in 1892 brought elaborate louvered stained glass windows and an Akron-plan sanctuary with a diagonal aisle, oak pews and sliding oak doors. The plain clapboard main block contrasts with the more ornate later additions. Two congregations merged in 1930 to form the present church, and the upper parsonage floor became Sunday School space. It remains in use for worship and community gatherings, and is valued as an example of a vernacular rural church that evolved over generations.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a good example of a transitional mid-to-late 19th century vernacular rural church, where plain Federal/Greek Revival lines give way to more exuberant late Victorian details. Its elaborate stained glass louvered windows and its Akron plan, the only one among the related listed properties, add to its distinction. It also reflects adaptive reuse of a former academy building and long service as a community worship and social center.
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 96000670, listed June 28, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | W side of Main St., S. of jct. with Co. Rt. 181, Hamlet of La Fargeville, Orleans |
|---|---|
| County | Jefferson County |
| Listed | June 28, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000670 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-1940 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Vernacular, Italianate, Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still has an active congregation and is used as a house of worship and center for social activities; the sanctuary has had minor alterations and a modern non-contributing tool shed stands behind it. |
| Acreage | 1.1 |
| Coordinates | 44.19092, -75.96845 (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 96000670.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6462417
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.