Coddle Creek Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, Session House and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Frame church and cemetery in the far southeastern corner of Iredell County, North Carolina, near the Cabarrus County line. The present church was completed in 1884 as the third building on a site used by a congregation founded around 1753 and later known as Coddle Creek A. R. P. Church. Its gable-end entrance tower, bracketed eaves and segmental arched sash windows combine late Italianate and Greek Revival features in a simplified country form. Beside it stands a one-story frame session house from roughly the same period, similar to those at Centre and Bethesda Presbyterian Churches. The churchyard holds about 250 markers, including eighteenth- and nineteenth-century gravestones with carvings by local artisans. Its wrought-iron gate with granite posts is attributed by local tradition to a blacksmith named Freeze. The church is regarded as an early center of organized religion in the county and a notable local example of its building type.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the congregation was the first Presbyterian congregation in Iredell County and among the first Associate Reformed Presbyterian congregations in North Carolina. It also argues that the 1884 church blends late Greek Revival and Italianate design in a distinctive country church form, that the session house follows regional mid-nineteenth-century patterns, and that the cemetery's carved gravestones and wrought-iron gate by a local blacksmith are important examples of local artisanry.
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 80002864, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | SR 1146, Mount Mourne |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002864 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Late Italianate with Greek Revival elements |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both structures have been well-maintained through the years. |
| Acreage | 14.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.51038, -80.76734 (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 80002864.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5139959
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.