St. John's Evangelical Lutheran Church
Also known as: Brick Church
Why it's listed
Red brick, cross-gable church in Culp, Blair County, Pennsylvania, serving the congregation known as St. John's Evangelical Church of Sinking Valley. The present brick building was completed in 1892 at a cost of $10,000. Its steep gables, square tower with a spire and four shingled turrets, and semi-circular classroom show the influence of the Queen Anne style, seen in its varied decorative clapboard and shingles, turned pillars, and large many-paned stained glass windows with semi-circular arches set in the gable ends. The interior holds a large sanctuary with a semi-circular pew arrangement, five classrooms, and additional classrooms in the basement. The congregation is one of the oldest in Blair County. Its first church was a log structure with galleries on three sides, built in 1804, and that log church is still standing. A brick building was added on the present site in 1840. The property is significant for its architecture and for its religious history.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is one of the oldest congregations in Blair County, with a congregation history dating to a log church of 1804. Its present brick building is significant for its Queen Anne style influence, shown in varied decorative clapboard and shingles, turned pillars and a shingled tower with turrets.
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 78002350, listed September 18, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | NE of Culp, Tyronne Township, Culp |
|---|---|
| County | Blair County |
| Listed | September 18, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002350 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Queen Anne influence |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is marked excellent and the church is described as in original site, with the form indicating it is unaltered. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.59432, -78.25011 (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 78002350.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588725
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.