Wadsworth Congregational Church
Why it's listed
Set on a cleared lot of about two and a half acres near Whitsett, this one-room Gothic Revival frame church was built around 1885 to replace an earlier log structure. It has white weatherboard walls, a front-gabled roof, a vestibule supporting a bell tower with a pyramidal roof, and four tall pointed-arch windows on the façade. The congregation was founded in 1870 by Reverend William Madison Lindsay, who was born into slavery in 1833, escaped, and later studied at Oberlin College. A bell from England, dedicated to the church in 1886, was a gift from a northern benefactor. The church also hosted a school for local children, and the nomination regards it as an unusually detailed example of rural African American church architecture in the county. The building was moved in the 1970s, and its original foundation of stone was replaced with concrete block.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a significant example of a rural African American church in Guilford County, more ornate than most of its contemporaries, with pointed-arch windows, a belfry and a finished cornice. It ties the congregation's founding to Reverend William Madison Lindsay, a formerly enslaved pastor who established a church and school with northern support. The building is presented as architecturally representative and rare in its window design.
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 02001659, listed December 31, 2002. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 1301 Rock Creek Dairy Rd., Whitsett |
|---|---|
| County | Guilford County |
| Listed | December 31, 2002 |
| Reference number | 02001659 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | C. 1885 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: Gothic; Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Black |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Moved approximately 100 to 200 feet to the northeast in the 1970s, with a new foundation and a non-contributing church building erected on its former site in 1977; the tin roof was replaced in 1994 and the bell temporarily removed for repairs. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 36.04704, -79.59765 (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 02001659.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7959338
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.