Walnut Hills United Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Walnut Hills United Presbyterian Church stands at the corner of Gilbert Avenue and Taft Road in Cincinnati. It is a 2½-story brick church faced with rock-faced random ashlar, with an asymmetrical plan, slate gable roofs and a square corner bell tower with paired open Gothic belfries. A large Tudor stained glass window dominates the main gable end, and the south facade has four large Tudor windows. The congregation traces its origin to a Presbyterian church organized in 1818 by Reverend James Kemper and merged with the nearby Lane Seminary congregation in 1878. The present church was designed by Samuel Hannaford and dedicated on November 8, 1885. The lot and building cost about $68,000, and the spire cost $10,000. A chapel was added in 1891, the basement was remodeled in 1926, and a final addition by Samuel Hannaford and Sons followed in 1929. The church was listed as part of a group of works by Hannaford, and it remains in religious use.
Significance in brief: It is nominated as one of the works in a thematic group of buildings by Cincinnati architect Samuel Hannaford. It is an asymmetrical rock-faced ashlar church with Gothic and Tudor details, a corner bell tower and a large gable end. It also continues a congregation that traces back to a Presbyterian church organized in 1818.
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 80003089, listed March 3, 1980. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2601 Gilbert Ave., Cincinnati |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | March 3, 1980 |
| Reference number | 80003089 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Samuel Hannaford (additions by Samuel Hannaford and Sons); Builder: J. Griffith |
| Architectural style | Cincinnati Gothic influences |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in religious use; interior and exterior condition listed as excellent. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 39.12785, -84.48964 (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 80003089.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7963636
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.