Franklin Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built about 1856, this red brick church at 45 Church Street in Franklin, North Carolina, is the oldest brick building in Macon County and one of the oldest in western North Carolina. It is a modest, vernacular Greek Revival temple-form building, roughly fifty by thirty-six feet, made of hand-made brick laid in American bond. A gable roof extends over the south front to form a portico with four eight-sided wood columns. Trustees Curtis Sanders, Jackson Johnston, Zebulon Thomas and James G. Gray bought the lot in 1856, after a congregation organized in 1833 had lapsed and then revived. The interior was renovated in the 1940s, with new pews, flooring and a rebuilt belfry, and the original bell remains. A two-story school and office building was added in 1948, and a contemporary sanctuary seating 400 followed in the 1970s. The old church survives basically intact and is valued as a rare antebellum brick church in its region.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is architecturally significant as a rare antebellum brick church in western North Carolina. It is the oldest brick building in Macon County and one of the oldest in the region. It survives basically intact despite later additions.
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 86003718, listed February 5, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 45 Church St., Franklin |
|---|---|
| County | Macon County |
| Listed | February 5, 1987 |
| Reference number | 86003718 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1856 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival, temple form |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition, in religious use; the form notes alterations such as 1940s renovations and later additions. |
| Acreage | 0.8 |
| Coordinates | 35.18262, -83.38381 (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 86003718.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5491767
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.