First Presbyterian Church
Also known as: New School Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1859 by church elder George Browning Reed, this brick church at the corner of Franklin and Walnut Streets in Troy, Ohio, reflects Romanesque Revival design. The walls are nine-course American bond brick on a stone foundation, with tall, narrow, round-arched stained glass windows set in recessed bays. A flat-roofed tower at the front has wedge buttresses, a corbel table and a crenellated parapet. Inside, an organ gallery was added in 1868, the choir and organ moved to the front in 1875, memorial windows were installed around 1895, and electric lights and an electric organ arrived in 1901. A one-story Colonial Revival addition from about 1930 sits at the rear. The building was erected by the New School Presbyterians, who split from the Old School in 1838 and built a frame church in 1846. The brick sanctuary was dedicated in 1860. The congregation became First Presbyterian Church when the groups reunited in 1870. The building is valued as a well-preserved example of Troy's ante-bellum craftsmanship.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the church as an excellent Romanesque Revival building and a representative example of the best ante-bellum builders' craft in Troy. It also notes the building has had few changes. It served the New School Presbyterians and, after reunification in 1870, the unified First Presbyterian congregation.
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 76001493, listed December 12, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Franklin and Walnut Sts., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Miami County |
| Listed | December 12, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001493 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | George Browning Reed |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, occupied, and in religious use; owned by the church. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Troy Public Square |
| Coordinates | 40.03829, -84.20295 (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 76001493.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453644
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.