Salem Bear Creek Church, Salem Evangelical Lutheran Church
Also known as: Ellerton Lutheran and German Reformed Church District
Why it's listed
Ellerton's church district in southwest Montgomery County, Ohio, groups two side-by-side churches and an old cemetery tied to Pennsylvania German settlers. Lutheran and German Reformed congregations organized in 1815 and shared a brick church built in 1860, now occupied by the Ellerton Church of Christ. It was altered over time but keeps its simple gable-front form. In 1886-1887 the Lutherans built their own one-story, cruciform brick church in the Gothic Revival style. It has a square bell tower with a slate spire, pointed-arch stained glass windows and a cut stone foundation. Contractor C. D. Routzahn, a congregation member, built it and later crafted the chancel furniture. The cemetery dates to about 1815, with headstones from 1817 onward. The district was listed for its link to Pennsylvania German settlement, for the architecture of the Lutheran church, and for the cemetery's potential to reveal where settlers came from. Both churches and the cemetery remain in use.
Significance in brief: The two churches represent the early nineteenth-century settlement of southwest Montgomery County by Pennsylvania Germans, and together show the shift from simple gable-front churches to Gothic Revival ones. The Lutheran church is an excellent example of Gothic Revival design by a local contractor. The cemetery, said to be the oldest in Jefferson Township, may yield information about the settlers' origins.
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 90001291, listed September 6, 1990. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Roughly bounded by Union Rd., Dayton Germantown Pike, and Bear Creek, Germantown |
|---|---|
| County | Montgomery County |
| Listed | September 6, 1990 |
| Reference number | 90001291 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1815-1900 |
| Architect / builder | C. D. Routzahn, contractor (Salem Lutheran Church, 1886-1887) |
| Architectural style | Mid-Nineteenth Century, Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | European, Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Both churches and the cemetery are still in religious and funerary use; the 1860 church is still occupied by the Ellerton Church of Christ. |
| Acreage | 6 |
| Coordinates | 39.68012, -84.30945 (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 90001291.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7404044
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.