All Souls Unitarian-Universalist Church
Why it's listed
All Souls Church in Bellville, Ohio, is a small sandstone building about 50 feet square with a corner tower on its northwest side. Built between 1894 and 1896 for a Universalist congregation, it was designed by D. L. Briggs of Cleveland, with J. S. Schumate of Marion as master mason and church member Lewis Garber helping direct construction. The red-grey sandstone came from a member's farm, while the capstones and archstones came from a quarry east of Mansfield. The Romanesque Revival design uses battered walls, rough-faced masonry and round arches, including a triple arched window on the north facade. Inside, the plain lecture room has a round-arched proscenium and colored glass windows bought in Boston, many given as memorials. The church is considered notable because it is carefully detailed yet restrained, which sets it apart from other Romanesque Revival buildings in Ohio. The congregation dates to 1822 and organized at the Bellville site in 1847.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a carefully detailed, modest-scale example of Romanesque Revival that is simple rather than ornate, which is unusual for Ohio's version of the style. It also reflects the Universalist philosophy of its builders and the congregation's influence on the Bellville community. The form evaluates its significance as local.
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 76001520, listed January 1, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 125 Church St., Bellville |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | January 1, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001520 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1894-1896 |
| Architect / builder | D. L. Briggs (architect, of Cleveland); J. S. Schumate of Marion, Ohio (master mason/builder); Lewis Garber (church member who oversaw erection) |
| Architectural style | Romanesque Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in use as a church; condition listed as good and unaltered, though the small congregation finds it difficult to maintain the building. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.61985, -82.51230 (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 76001520.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4729655
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.