First Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built between 1849 and 1851 at 221 Court Street in Portsmouth, Ohio, this two-story Greek Revival brick church measures about 57 by 99 feet. It has a sandstone foundation, sills and lintels, brick pilasters beside tall second-floor windows, a denticulated cornice and an octagonal wooden cupola. A local contractor built it under the supervision of five church members, and it was dedicated on April 6, 1851, making it the first church in the city dedicated for use and still in use. The congregation, organized in 1817, had built Portsmouth's first church in 1823. The building was lengthened by about 16 feet in 1865 and gained a Sunday School wing in 1910. Its solid construction survived floods in 1883, 1884, 1907, 1913 and 1937, and a tornado removed the cupola in 1860. The sanctuary seats more than 500 and keeps its original walnut pews. The interior has seen little major change, apart from an 1892 organ and later modernizations.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a notable example of Greek Revival architecture, remarkable for its size and largely unchanged structure. It was the first church in Portsmouth dedicated for use that is still in use, and its congregation built the city's first church building in 1823. It is also tied to local religious and community work.
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 73001532, listed November 28, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 221 Court St., Portsmouth |
|---|---|
| County | Scioto County |
| Listed | November 28, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001532 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1849-1851 |
| Architect / builder | Built by a local contractor under the supervision of five church members (no names given) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In good condition and occupied, used as a church and as the home of the Retired Senior Volunteer Program. The congregation was considering a merger that could lead to the building being abandoned. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Boneyfiddle Commercial Disrict |
| Coordinates | 38.73216, -83.00097 (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 73001532.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453622
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.