Christ Church
Also known as: See Also:78001978
Why it's listed
Christ Church, an Episcopal church at 120 East Edenton Street in Raleigh, was designed by Richard Upjohn, architect of Trinity Church in New York. The congregation bought the land in 1826 and built a first church there in 1829. As the parish grew, Upjohn was invited in 1848 to design a larger building. Three Raleigh stonemasons, assisted by slaves, built it of rough local granite with a red tile roof. The cornerstone was laid on December 28, 1848, the building was finished in 1852, and it was consecrated in 1853. A freestanding bell tower followed in 1859-1861. Inside, a hammer-beam roof is among its most notable features, and a limestone altar and reredos were installed in 1915. Hobart Upjohn, the architect's grandson, designed a parish house and chapel completed in 1921, matching the older church in scale and texture. The property is valued as an important example of Upjohn's Early Gothic Revival work.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as an important example of Richard Upjohn's Early Gothic Revival style. The early twentieth-century parish house and chapel by Upjohn's grandson Hobart Upjohn are noted as a careful, skillful complement to the older building rather than a copy of the then-fashionable Late Gothic Revival.
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 70000469, listed July 28, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 120 E. Edenton St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | July 28, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000469 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (architect); stonemasons James Puttick, Robert Findlater and James Martindale; Hobart Upjohn (parish house and chapel) |
| Architectural style | Early English Gothic / Early Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 23, 1987 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition listed as excellent and unaltered, on its original site; occupied and in religious use. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Capitol Area Historic District |
| Coordinates | 35.78088, -78.63732 (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 70000469.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5108878
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.