Rue Chapel AME Church
Why it's listed
Rue Chapel A.M.E. Church is a brick Gothic Revival church at the corner of Oak and Hamilton streets in New Bern, with a gabled nave flanked by two corner entrance towers. A cornerstone records that it was built in 1873 and rebuilt in 1941. Church members Joseph F. Lewis and Willie Becton rebuilt it using bricks from the earlier sanctuary, which gives it an older look than its date suggests. Behind it stands a one-story Craftsman-style brick parsonage from the 1920s, now a church office. The congregation traces to 1865, when missionary George Rue arrived from New England and organized it. It is believed to be among the first two A.M.E. congregations in North Carolina. Earlier sanctuaries were lost to the Great Fire of 1922 and to condemnation in 1939. The church and parsonage were listed for their architecture and for their roles in religion and Black ethnic heritage.
Significance in brief: The congregation, founded in 1865 by A.M.E. missionary George Rue, is believed to be one of the two earliest A.M.E. churches in North Carolina and New Bern's second oldest African American congregation. The church and 1920s parsonage are considered architecturally significant and are tied to religion and Black ethnic heritage. They are part of a multiple property group of historic African American churches in Craven County.
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 97000572, listed June 30, 1997. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 709 Oak St., New Bern |
|---|---|
| County | Craven County |
| Listed | June 30, 1997 |
| Reference number | 97000572 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1920s-1947 |
| Architect / builder | Joseph F. Lewis, Builder; Willie Becton, Builder |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (Gothic); Bungalow/Craftsman (parsonage) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church remains in religious use. The parsonage served as a parsonage until about 1980 and is now used as a church office. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Craven Terrace |
| Coordinates | 35.11109, -77.04955 (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 97000572.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7377764
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.