St. Peter Evangelical Lutheran Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1850 of logs, this small church sits on a knoll beside a cemetery on a quiet township road south of Versailles, Ohio. German immigrant families, about three dozen in all, founded the congregation, and Frederick Frengott Seibt donated land for the church and graveyard in May 1850. The 28-by-40-foot log body is covered in white siding, and a square tower and belfry, believed added in 1867, dominate the facade. Inside, plain plastered walls, plank and curved-arm pews, a reed organ, snowflake-pattern window panes, an 1860-patent box stove and a hand-carved buckeye pulpit survive. The building has no electricity or plumbing. Regular services ended in 1905, but descendants gather for an occasional fall service. It was listed as the only known survivor of mid-19th century log churches from western Ohio's settlement, and for its well-preserved early interior.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it the only known survivor of the mid-19th century log churches built during the settlement of western Ohio. It is also described as an outstanding, little-altered early house of worship with an unusual intact interior. It reflects German settlement and Lutheran worship in the area.
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 80002988, listed June 4, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | S of Versailles on St. Peter Rd., Versailles |
|---|---|
| County | Darke County |
| Listed | June 4, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80002988 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Areas of significance | European, Exploration/Settlement, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Unoccupied; regular services stopped in 1905, though an occasional fall service is held. The Klipstine family cares for the building, which has no electricity or plumbing. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.19584, -84.46478 (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 80002988.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591387
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.