St. Paul's Church
Why it's listed
Stone church at 901 East Lincoln Highway in West Whiteland Township, Chester County, begun in 1828 and consecrated by Bishop William White on May 28, 1829. The original one-story building was substantially rebuilt in 1871-72 with Gothic elements, including a chancel, pointed-arch openings, dressed stone trimming and a vestibule with bell tower and spire. The Gothic work is restrained, in contrast to the more elaborate Gothic Revival churches common in the Great Valley. The congregation was founded largely by former Quakers, many of them members of the Thomas and Jacob families, and it is the township's oldest religious congregation apart from Grove Methodist Church. The church also maintained a close relationship with the Church Farm School, founded in 1918 as a farm and industrial school for boys. The adjoining cemetery holds graves of early local families and is enclosed by a fieldstone wall built in 1843.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant under criterion C as an example of Gothic Revival architecture, noted for the restrained manner of its Gothic elements compared with other Gothic Revival churches in the Great Valley. It also stresses the congregation's role in local religious life, its founding by former Quakers, and its long relationship with the Church Farm School.
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 84003304, listed September 6, 1984. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 901 E. Lincoln Hwy., Exton |
|---|---|
| County | Chester County |
| Listed | September 6, 1984 |
| Reference number | 84003304 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1820-39/1860-79 |
| Architectural style | Rural Gothic |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.03305, -75.59013 (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 84003304.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591102
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.