Hay Street Methodist Church
Why it's listed
Hay Street Methodist Church is a red brick Gothic Revival sanctuary on a spacious downtown Fayetteville site where Hay, Old and Ray streets meet. Built in 1907-1908, it replaced an 1830s Greek Revival frame church and an 1880s Sunday school. Three corner towers with spires, gabled faces and colored glass lancet windows define its appearance. A Sunday school addition followed in 1924 and an educational wing in 1953. Inside, a 1935 renovation opened the formerly divided auditorium and placed the chancel centrally. The congregation grew from the city's first Methodist church, founded around 1800. It joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South in 1846 and later followed the denomination's move toward unity in 1939 and 1968. The building is recognized for its link to Methodism's development in Fayetteville and the South, and for its representative early twentieth century Gothic design.
Significance in brief: The nomination links the church to the establishment of Methodism in Fayetteville and to the wider development of Southern Methodism, including the 1840s split and later reunification. It also cites the building as a good example of early twentieth century Gothic Revival church design, with corner towers, spires and colored glass lancet windows. It is described as a notable downtown landmark.
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 83001855, listed July 7, 1983. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Hay St. at Ray and Old Sts., Fayetteville |
|---|---|
| County | Cumberland County |
| Listed | July 7, 1983 |
| Reference number | 83001855 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1908 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and still in use by an active congregation; the sanctuary was renovated in 1935 and later additions were built. |
| Acreage | 1.3 |
| Within district | Fayetteville Downtown Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.05317, -78.87403 (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 83001855.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5685873
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.