Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Buffalo Presbyterian Church and Cemetery occupy a shaded 6.69-acre property in Greensboro, North Carolina, on land the congregation first acquired in 1768. The centerpiece is a brick church completed in 1827, built by member Jacob Albright with help from Joseph Kirkpatrick. It replaced earlier log and frame meeting houses that stood in what is now the cemetery. Over the twentieth century the sanctuary was updated in the Colonial Revival style, gaining a Tuscan portico, flanking two-story educational buildings joined by arcades, and a northward extension in 1956. The cemetery contains gravestones dating from 1775, including slate and marble tablets, work signed by Fayetteville carver George Lauder, and family markers for local families. The property matters because the 1827 church is considered the first brick church of a rural Presbyterian congregation in North Carolina and the earliest surviving rural brick church in the state. It also records the long continuity of a Scotch-Irish community.
Significance in brief: The 1827 brick church is described as probably the first brick church built by a rural Presbyterian congregation in North Carolina, and believed to be the earliest surviving brick rural church of any denomination in the state. The site reflects the social history of a Scotch-Irish community, and its cemetery holds gravestones from 1775 onward. The church also shows the congregation's growth through later Colonial Revival expansions.
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 02000985, listed September 16, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 800 and 803 Sixteenth St., Greensboro |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | September 16, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02000985 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Jacob Albright (contractor), assisted by Joseph Kirkpatrick |
| Architectural style | Federal; Colonial Revival |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Social History, Education |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church with church-related residence, social/civic use and active cemetery; burials continue. |
| Acreage | 8 |
| Coordinates | 36.10944, -79.78002 (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 02000985.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4985817
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.