Camp Ground Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Camp Ground Methodist Church is a weatherboarded frame church built between 1858 and 1862 on a rise above Beaver Creek, roughly four miles west of downtown Fayetteville. The site was first used for camp meetings, or revivals, in the years before the Civil War, and an 1858 deed describes a church, graveyard and arbor already there. The present building has a rectangular plan, a plain pedimented gable front, two front doors and a standing seam tin roof. Inside, a gallery runs along three sides, and a pressed tin ceiling was added later. Tradition credits church member James Christopher Vaughn as builder and his brother Ruffin Vaughn with the pulpit and pews, though members may have raised the building together. Circuit riders served the church until the 1950s. A larger modern sanctuary now occupies the site, and the old church sits a few yards away beside the cemetery. It is listed for its ties to Methodist religious history and for its vernacular architecture.
Significance in brief: The site began as an antebellum camp meeting ground, linking it to the religious development of Fayetteville and North Carolina Methodism. The gable-front, double-entrance building with simple Greek Revival finish reflects vernacular North Carolina church forms and local craftsmanship.
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 83001845, listed July 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Camp Ground Rd., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | July 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001845 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | James Christopher Vaughn |
| Architectural style | Vernacular North Carolina church form with simple Greek Revival finish |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Good condition; the original church was moved about eighty feet in 1962 to make room for a new sanctuary and is used for special occasions. The congregation remains active. |
| Acreage | 7.2 |
| Coordinates | 35.06793, -78.97244 (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 83001845.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5027220
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.