First Christian Church of Burlington
Why it's listed
First Christian Church of Burlington occupies a corner lot at the northwest edge of the city's Central Business District. Completed in 1920 and built by local contractor David Fitch at a cost of $100,000, it follows the Akron plan: a centralized, domed sanctuary with two matching main facades suited to a corner site. Brown and orange variegated brick, brick quoins and tetrastyle temple fronts with Tuscan columns give the building a monumental presence. Inside, carved white-painted woodwork, stained glass scenes from the life of Christ and an amphitheatre-style seating arrangement continue the Neoclassical theme. The congregation was organized in 1884 from the shared Union Church, built its first church in 1893, and moved to this site as Burlington grew. The building is valued as one of the city's foremost Neoclassical Revival churches, an uncommon Akron-type example, and a reminder of early twentieth-century prosperity. A 1953 educational building and a 1980 office wing were added.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it one of Burlington's two outstanding Neoclassical Revival churches and an example of the unusual Akron church type, with a domed sanctuary in a centralized plan and two temple-front facades. It also reflects the city's early twentieth-century prosperity and a congregation that grew out of Union Church.
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 84001919, listed May 31, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 415 S. Church St., Burlington |
|---|---|
| County | Alamance County |
| Listed | May 31, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84001919 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architect / builder | David Fitch, Contractor |
| Architectural style | Neoclassical Revival (Akron church type) |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a religious building; the sanctuary was recently restored, and additions were made in 1953 and 1980. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 36.09485, -79.43952 (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 84001919.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452649
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.