Kennedy, Robert, Memorial Presbyterian Church
Also known as: Welsh Run Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1871 at Welsh Run, a crossroads village in south-central Franklin County, this one-and-a-half story frame church is an Italianate structure with ashlar-patterned weatherboard siding, scrolled brackets, pilasters and a square bell tower. It stands on a limestone foundation and faces east, with a limestone-walled cemetery to the south. The building replaced a log meeting house that had served the Lower West Conococheague congregation since 1774, and its cornerstone is inscribed with the 1871 date. Elias Kennedy, a son of Rev. Robert Kennedy, funded its construction, and the church was named for his father, who led the congregation from 1802 to 1843. The nomination regards it as a rare rural example of Italianate church design in the county, where the style was otherwise concentrated in larger towns. Its interior retains original pews and plaster walls, and a Tiffany window was added in 1934. The church was listed for its architectural distinction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a rare example of a light frame Italianate rural church and the only such example of Italianate church architecture of its kind in Franklin County. It retains its ashlar siding, scrolled brackets, pilasters and bell tower, and contains a signed Tiffany stained glass panel installed in 1934.
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 09000385, listed June 6, 2009. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 11799 Mercersburg Rd., Montgomery |
|---|---|
| County | Franklin County |
| Listed | June 6, 2009 |
| Reference number | 09000385 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1871 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Italianate |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Used for public functions and social events by the friends group and other local organizations; the church was dissolved as a congregation in 1962. |
| Acreage | 1.7 |
| Coordinates | 39.76620, -77.85213 (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 09000385.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7346317
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.