First Presbyterian Church and Churchyard
Why it's listed
Set on a landscaped block of New Street in New Bern, this Presbyterian church is a large rectangular frame building with a tetrastyle Ionic portico and a four-stage tower topped by an arcaded octagonal belfry. The cornerstone was laid in June 1819 and the church was dedicated in January 1822, after construction supervised by the carpenter Uriah Sandy, who probably designed it as well. Its form recalls New England meeting houses more than other North Carolina churches. Inside, twin spiral stairs, side galleries and a barrel-vaulted ceiling survive. During the Civil War, Union forces used the church for worship and later as a hospital. A Victorian remodelling of 1866 was largely reversed in a careful 1930s restoration of the pulpit and pew layout. An 1856 lecture building and a cast-iron fence from 1903 complete the churchyard, which forms an important open space and part of a notable group of nearby churches.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is nearly unique in North Carolina, resembling a New England church and green more than a typical local building. It is the work, and probably the design, of the builder Uriah Sandy, one of many skilled craftsmen in early nineteenth-century New Bern. It also served the Union forces and then as a hospital during the Civil War, and it anchors a group of architecturally important churches.
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 72000942, listed February 1, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | New St. between Middle and Hancock Sts., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | February 1, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000942 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Uriah Sandy, contractor (probably also designer); 1930s interior restoration by Daniel D. Merrill of Merrill, Humbel, and Taylor, New York |
| Areas of significance | Military, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, occupied and in religious use; the interior was restored in 1936 and the building is described as altered. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 35.10990, -77.04008 (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 72000942.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453667
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.