Third Presbyterian Church
Also known as: Northminster Presbyterian Church; Church of God Sanctified
Why it's listed
Built in 1893-94 at 714 N. Limestone St. in Springfield, Ohio, this church was designed for Third Presbyterian Church, later called Northminster Presbyterian, by local architect Charles A. Cregar, with Russell Bros. as contractor. It is a rectangular building of dark red pressed brick on a rock-faced limestone foundation, trimmed in brownstone and roofed in slate. Square corner towers frame the street sides, and large stained glass window complexes fill two gabled wings. Its most distinctive feature is a central octagonal clerestory topped by an onion dome, the only dome Cregar is known to have designed and apparently inspired by the Mosque of the Rock in Jerusalem. The exterior is nearly unchanged, though the nave walls and dome were covered with pasteboard tiles around 1950 and the office wing was rebuilt. The church is valued as a late work by Cregar, who died in 1896, and as an 1890s Romanesque-style structure with notable Presbyterian associations. It is now used by the Church of God Sanctified.
Significance in brief: The church is one of Springfield's major public buildings and one of the later works of architect Charles A. Cregar. Its clerestory and octagonal onion dome are unique, and it is the only dome Cregar is known to have designed. It also shows him adapting his usual Romanesque approach to the red brick and brownstone fashion of the day.
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 80002958, listed January 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 714 N. Limestone St., Springfield |
|---|---|
| County | Clark County |
| Listed | January 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002958 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1893-94 |
| Architect / builder | Architect Charles A. Cregar; contractor Russell Bros. |
| Architectural style | Romanesque revival (1890s) with Queen Anne influence in its red brick and brownstone |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and used for religious purposes by the Church of God Sanctified; exterior virtually unchanged, interior altered in the 1950s. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.93287, -83.80561 (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 80002958.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7784929
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.