First Reformed Church
Also known as: First Reformed United Church of Christ
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of East Center and North Salisbury streets in Lexington, this Gothic Revival church was built in 1927-1928 from designs by High Point architect Herbert B. Hunter. Griff W. Smith, a local contractor, carried out the construction at a cost of nearly $100,000. The steel-framed building is faced in tapestry brick in bronze, brown, red and copper tones, with white stone banding, a ten-foot rose window above the main portal, and towers of sixty and forty-five feet. Inside, a marble-floored vestibule, limestone arcades, white-oak pews and an oak-trussed ceiling follow a more traditional Gothic pattern. It is considered the grandest church of the 1920s in Davidson County. It is also linked to the Reverend Jacob Calvin Leonard, who founded the congregation in 1901, served as its pastor for thirty-eight years and later led the national General Synod of the Reformed Church. Its significance covers 1927 to 1943, the year of his death.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the most architecturally ambitious church built in Davidson County in the 1920s and one of the finest ecclesiastical buildings in Lexington. It is also the building most closely tied to the Reverend Jacob Calvin Leonard, who founded the congregation and led the Reformed Church's growth in the 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 00000417, listed April 28, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 22 E. Center S., Lexington |
|---|---|
| County | Davidson County |
| Listed | April 28, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000417 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1927-1943 |
| Architect / builder | Hunter, Herbert B. (architect); Griff W. Smith (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as remarkably well preserved and still used as a religious facility. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.82363, -80.25186 (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 00000417.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453741
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.