First Congregational Church And Lexington School
Also known as: New School Presbyterian Church; Old Congregational Church; Ric
Why it's listed
Two wooden buildings stand side by side on Church Street in Lexington, Ohio, one block from the main commercial street. The First Congregational Church began in 1846 as the New School Presbyterian Church, built by a congregation that split from the town's Presbyterians over slavery. In 1873 it was extended by one bay and given a four-stage corner tower with an octagonal spire. Its design mixes Greek Revival massing and entablature with Gothic Revival details such as lancet and triangular-headed windows. Next door, the Lexington School dates from about 1850 and served as a school until 1895, when a grange bought it for a meeting hall. A genealogical society acquired it in 1965 and converted it to a museum in 1967. Its exterior is plain apart from lightweight curved eave brackets. Both buildings are the last surviving 19th-century institutional structures on the street, and they are valued as the earliest remaining church and a typical village school in Lexington.
Significance in brief: The church and school are the two remaining 19th-century institutional buildings along Church Street, which developed as Lexington's institutional street. The church is the earliest remaining church in town and shows local builders' interpretations of Greek Revival and later Gothic Revival. The school is an example of a mid-19th-century village school, built as a functional building and little altered outside.
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 79001929, listed February 23, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 47 Delaware St. and 51 W. Church St., Lexington |
|---|---|
| County | Richland County |
| Listed | February 23, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001929 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival and Gothic Revival, as interpreted by local carpenters or builders |
| Areas of significance | Education, Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church exterior well maintained but interior greatly altered; school adapted in 1967 as a museum. Overall condition marked good. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.67751, -82.58566 (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 79001929.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5452830
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.