Center Street A.M.E. Zion Church
Why it's listed
Center Street A.M.E. Zion Church is a brick church on South Center Street in Statesville, completed in 1903. It is the third building the congregation has used on the site; the two earlier churches were frame structures. The late Gothic Revival design has a steep gable roof of pressed tin and two corner entrance towers of unequal height. Corbelled string courses, pointed-arch openings, a large stained glass window and a round window with a Star of David design enliven the facade. The congregation began as Mt. Pleasant in 1868 or 1869, when Black Methodists withdrew from white-led churches after the Civil War. Sidney S. Murdock donated the lot in the Depot Hill community. It later joined the A.M.E. Zion denomination. Three of its ministers became bishops. It is regarded as the oldest structure tied to a Black congregation in Statesville, and it is still in use and maintained by its congregation.
Significance in brief: It is described as the oldest structure associated with a black congregation in Statesville. The congregation formed as Mt. Pleasant in 1868 or 1869, soon after the Civil War, and later became A.M.E. Zion. Its elaborate brickwork and Gothic Revival style are characteristic of substantial churches built for black congregations around the turn of the century.
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 80002868, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S. Center St., Statesville |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002868 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1900- |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is in use and maintained by the congregation; condition is listed as good and altered, with a brick and cinderblock rear addition. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Garfield and Green Streets Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.77911, -80.88495 (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 80002868.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5059349
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.