St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Also known as: See Also:St. Mark's Episcopal Church (Boundary Increase)
Why it's listed
St. Mark's Episcopal Church is a small brick country church on a wooded hill near an old crossroads in the Long Creek community of northern Mecklenburg County. Built in 1886-1887, it has a cross-shaped plan, steep roofs, lancet windows in pointed arches, and walls of red brick handmade at the foot of the hill by local carpenter John Ellis McAuley. J. F. Grady held the construction contract, and the building cost $770. The congregation grew from sermons preached by Rev. Joseph Blount Cheshire of St. Peter's in Charlotte, who later became bishop, and from the work of Rev. Edwin A. Osborne and farmer Columbus W. McCoy. Their efforts created an Episcopal presence in a mainly Presbyterian area. The church was consecrated in 1896. A McAuley-built parsonage and a graveyard share the site. A 1980 restoration returned some woodwork and the exterior trim color. Its high integrity makes it a reminder of the rural church in a now heavily developed county.
Significance in brief: The church is argued to be both an architectural and cultural landmark in a mostly Presbyterian farming community. It is tied to local farmer Columbus W. McCoy, Rev. Edwin A. Osborne and Rev. Joseph Blount Cheshire, later Bishop of North Carolina. It is also a well preserved example of vernacular nineteenth century Gothic Revival church design and shows the work of local carpenter John Ellis McAuley.
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 84002410, listed March 1, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | SR 2004, Huntersville |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | March 1, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84002410 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Builder/Architect listed as Unknown; text names J. F. Grady as contractor and John Ellis McAuley as brickmaker |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (vernacular "English country Gothic") |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in good condition; the church was restored in 1980 and still serves a small congregation. |
| Acreage | 8.7 |
| Coordinates | 35.34783, -80.88072 (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 84002410.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589938
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.