David's Reformed Church
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1881 at 80 West Columbus Street in Canal Winchester, this single-story brick church follows a Gothic Revival design with a center steeple plan. Its brick walls rest on a textured sandstone foundation, and the gable roof is covered in slate. A projecting central bell tower rises to an eight-sided steeple, while tall lancet windows, arcaded brick corbelling and pilasters shape the facade and side walls. The church was built by the German Reformed congregation, which had shared a union church with Lutherans since about 1839 before the two groups separated in 1881. It is the only center steeple plan church in town and one of four Gothic Revival churches there. Inside, original paired sanctuary doors, pews, wood floors and colorful stained glass lancet windows survive. Later changes include an entry porch added in 1961 and a large educational wing built in 1969-70, set apart by a courtyard so the original building remains easy to recognize.
Significance in brief: The church is significant for its architecture. It is the only center steeple plan church in Canal Winchester and one of four Gothic Revival churches in town. It retains intact interior and exterior detailing, including lancet stained glass windows, arcaded corbelling, a bell tower and a slate steeple. It was built by the German Reformed congregation after it split from a shared union church.
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 89001017, listed August 15, 1989. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 80 W. Columbus St., Canal Winchester |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | August 15, 1989 |
| Reference number | 89001017 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1881 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in religious use; a 1969-70 educational wing was added to the east and rear, and the masonry has been abrasively cleaned and repointed. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.84183, -82.80848 (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 89001017.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5230391
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.