Providence Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Also known as: See Also:Providence Presbyterian Church and Cemetery (Bounda
Why it's listed
Providence Presbyterian Church is a weatherboarded frame meeting house built in 1858 on a slight rise beside Providence Road, near Matthews in southeastern Mecklenburg County. Its most striking features are extremely tall windows with sixteen-pane sash and original louvered blinds, and a sanctuary with a second-story gallery. Mid-twentieth-century wings, a manse and a large cemetery across the road complete the property. The congregation was organized in 1767, and a grave marker dated 1764 suggests earlier worship on the site. Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlers founded it, and it became one of the area's mother churches. Pastor James Wallis served from 1792 to 1819 and ran a classical school. Two later pastors became presidents of Davidson College, and Jethro Rumple led the congregation when the present building went up. Revolutionary patriots lie in the cemetery. The church is described as the oldest intact and only antebellum frame church in the county.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the oldest intact and only antebellum frame church in Mecklenburg County, a vernacular Greek Revival meeting house. It is tied to the Scotch-Irish Presbyterian settlement of the Piedmont, to Revolutionary patriots buried in its cemetery, and to ministers such as James Wallis and Jethro Rumple. Two of its pastors became the first presidents of Davidson College.
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 82003487, listed June 1, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 10140 Providence Rd., Matthews |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | June 1, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003487 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Vernacular Greek Revival meeting house |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Religion, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in active use as a church, with good condition noted and altered by mid-twentieth century wings; the congregation has maintained it carefully. |
| Acreage | 23.5 |
| Coordinates | 35.07108, -80.77101 (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 82003487.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7252462
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.