Christ Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Christ Episcopal Church stands at 120 East Edenton Street in Raleigh, beside Capitol Square. Richard Upjohn designed it in the Early English Gothic style after Bishop Levi Ives asked for a neat Gothic church seating about 600 people. Local granite, worked by Raleigh stonemasons, forms the thick walls, and lancet windows, buttresses and a red tile roof complete the exterior. Inside, the Latin cross plan has galleries, Caen limestone altar and reredos installed in 1915, and a hammer-beam roof. The cornerstone was laid in 1848, and a free-standing stone bell tower with a broach spire, joined to the church by a Galilee porch, was finished in 1861. Hobart Upjohn, Richard's grandson, later designed the parish house and chapel. The nomination holds that the building is among the earliest Gothic Revival churches in the South and the only stone example in North Carolina modeled on an English parish church, and it ranks among Upjohn's finest Gothic works.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents Christ Church as one of the first Gothic Revival churches in the Southern states and a model for the style in the region. It is described as a consistent application of the Early English style and as the first and only stone Gothic Revival church in North Carolina derived from an English original. It is also cited as one of Richard Upjohn's finest works in the Gothic style.
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 87002597, listed December 23, 1987. 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 | December 23, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87002597 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (1802-1878) and Hobart Upjohn (1876-1949); stonemasons James Puttick, Robert Findlater and James Martindale |
| Architectural style | Early English Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 23, 1987 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition and unaltered on its original site; occupied and in religious use. |
| Coordinates | 35.78115, -78.65971 (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 87002597.
- 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.