Damascus Baptist Church Arbor
Why it's listed
Damascus Baptist Church Arbor is an open, rectangular timber shelter of about 35 by 55 feet, built in 1855 near the crest of a hill above Snow Creek in rural northwest Iredell County. It has a hand-hewn, pegged frame, log rafters, a gable-on-hip metal roof, a dirt floor and posts resting on fieldstones. A pulpit stands on a raised platform at the west end, with seating spread on three sides. Church records show that managers were appointed in 1853 to build an arbor. Permanent wooden arbors like this one grew out of temporary brush arbors and served congregations before churches were built, and also hosted camp meetings and revivals. Few survive in Iredell County, and this is the oldest. The congregation later built a frame church in 1907-1909, added an education building, and keeps a cemetery dating from at least 1857. The arbor is no longer used for worship but remains well maintained and hosts fellowship suppers.
Significance in brief: The arbor is one of the oldest remaining religious structures in Iredell County and the oldest example of its type there. It represents a specialized form of religious building used in the Piedmont for revivals, camp meetings and services before permanent churches were built. It is rare because most such arbors have disappeared.
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 80002850, listed November 24, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off SR 1158 and SR 1582, Harmony |
|---|---|
| County | Iredell County |
| Listed | November 24, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002850 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1855; 1907-1909 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Well maintained by the congregation; no longer used for worship but still used for fellowship suppers after special services. Condition marked good and unaltered. |
| Acreage | 4 |
| Coordinates | 35.93460, -80.97840 (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 80002850.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5212021
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.