Chalfant Church
Why it's listed
Chalfant Church is a cross-shaped wood frame church set in hilly farmland south of Warsaw, Ohio. Built in 1893, it rests on a rock-faced sandstone foundation and has intersecting slate-covered gable roofs, large Gothic windows, shiplap siding, bargeboard trim and a tall pyramidal-roofed spire at the southwest corner. Inside is a single large meeting room with oak pews and a plaster ceiling. A small cemetery lies behind it, and an older cemetery across the road holds sandstone monuments dating from the 1820s. The congregation was founded in 1808 by Rev. William Ellington and was the first in Coshocton County; its first log meeting house was begun in 1811 on land owned by early settler Mordecai Chalfant. For many years it was an active rural Methodist church that sent a record number of members into the ministry. It closed in 1971 and is maintained as a memorial. It is considered an excellent, well-preserved example of Victorian Gothic design.
Significance in brief: The congregation, founded in 1808, was the first religious congregation in Coshocton County and occupies the site of the first church built there. It was a very active rural Methodist church that sent a record number of members into the ministry. The 1893 building is an excellent, well-preserved example of Victorian Gothic architecture and is called perhaps the finest rural church in the county.
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 82004416, listed March 15, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | S of Warsaw off OH 60, Warsaw |
|---|---|
| County | Coshocton County |
| Listed | March 15, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82004416 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Victorian Gothic |
| Areas of significance | Exploration/Settlement, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Closed in 1971 and listed as unoccupied and vacant; maintained by a Methodist church in Coshocton as a memorial. Stained glass windows were removed and stored to prevent theft. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 40.18293, -82.01813 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 82004416.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5068726
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.