Steele Creek Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Brick Gothic Revival church and historic cemetery on a tree-shaded rise above Steele Creek Road, southwest of Charlotte in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. The sanctuary was completed in 1889 after the congregation's previous brick-less church burned in January 1888; members made the bricks, and H. J. Norris served as contractor. Its pointed-arched windows, crenellated entry towers and steep parapeted gable express the style, and it was regarded as the finest church architecture in rural Mecklenburg when built. The adjoining cemetery holds about 1,700 headstones dating from 1763, including roughly 200 from before about 1820. Many were carved by the Bigham family, whose workshop operated nearby, and the designs include the Scottish thistle, tree of life and family coats of arms. The church, founded by Scotch-Irish settlers, was one of the first seven congregations established in the county, which underlies its significance in early settlement history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church and cemetery are outstanding symbols of Scotch-Irish influence in Mecklenburg County. The 1889 sanctuary is significant for its Gothic Revival design, described as the finest church architecture in rural Mecklenburg when built. The cemetery is significant for its early headstones, including work by the Bigham family of carvers, and for the church's role in early county settlement.
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 91000082, listed February 21, 1991. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 7407 Steele Creek Rd., Charlotte |
|---|---|
| County | Mecklenburg County |
| Listed | February 21, 1991 |
| Reference number | 91000082 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1763-ca. 1820, 1889 |
| Architect / builder | H. J. Norris (contractor) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Art, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is in use; the nomination notes the sanctuary survives largely intact and the three noncontributing buildings are in good repair and serve their original functions. |
| Acreage | 17 |
| Coordinates | 35.18404, -80.95617 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 91000082.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7605787
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.