Grace Union Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Grace Union Church and Cemetery occupy a wooded knoll near Blackburn in south central Catawba County. The church, built in 1857, is a one-story brick building with a pedimented gable, wide frieze and stuccoed corner pilasters. It is the only mid-nineteenth century church known to survive in the county and the only one of its Greek Revival design. Lutheran and Reformed congregations of German settlers built it jointly, replacing an earlier log church; Joseph Irby laid the brick and a Mr. Harrellson did the carpentry. Alterations in the 1940s changed the facade doors, windows and interior, though the classical design remains intact. The adjoining cemetery holds about two hundred gravestones, the oldest legible one dated 1822. Many stones made before 1870 carry Germanic designs, and several are attributed to a South Carolina workshop. The church is now used for Boy Scout and church activities, and the cemetery remains in use.
Significance in brief: The church is the only mid-nineteenth century Greek Revival church known to remain in Catawba County, and it represents the union church tradition of Lutheran and Reformed German congregations. The cemetery holds nineteenth century gravestones with Germanic designs, some attributed to the Caveny-Crawford Workshop of York County, South Carolina.
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 90000739, listed May 10, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of SR 1008 and SR 2030, Blackburn |
|---|---|
| County | Catawba County |
| Listed | May 10, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90000739 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1822 - ca. 1870 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph Irby (brickwork); Mr. Harrellson (carpentry) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church building is currently used as a Boy Scout hut and for church-related activities; the cemetery has been in continual use to the present. |
| Acreage | 3.1 |
| Coordinates | 35.59913, -81.31708 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 90000739.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5591395
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.