First Baptist Church
Also known as: Lincoln Cultural Center
Why it's listed
Built in two stages in Lincolnton, the brick church at East Main and Cedar Streets was designed by Charlotte architect James M. McMichael in 1919 and erected in 1920-1922. Its cruciform plan is crowned by a spherical dome over the sanctuary, and a two-story tetrastyle portico with Ionic terra cotta capitals faces East Main Street. The Baptist congregation, organized in 1859, occupied the building until 1979. A three-story educational block was added to the rear in 1950-1951. The congregation moved to a suburban church in 1979, and Lincoln County later converted the building into a cultural center. The renovation, completed in 1991, kept the sanctuary's classical interior and exterior largely intact while turning it into a performing arts auditorium. The building is regarded as an important local example of Classical Revival religious architecture and a representative work of McMichael's church designs.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the building is an intact example of Classical Revival church architecture in Lincoln County and one of several churches of related design by Charlotte architect James M. McMichael. It also documents the congregation's history, from its 1859 organization to its occupation of the building until 1979.
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 94001456, listed December 21, 1994. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 403 E. Main St., Lincolnton |
|---|---|
| County | Lincoln County |
| Listed | December 21, 1994 |
| Reference number | 94001456 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1920-1922 |
| Architect / builder | McMichael, James M., architect |
| Architectural style | Classical Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Renovated in 1990-1991 as the Lincoln Cultural Center and opened to the public in September 1991; the sanctuary serves as a performing arts auditorium. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 35.47341, -81.25221 (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 94001456.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452404
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.