Donegal Presbyterian Church Complex
Why it's listed
Stone church, cemetery and related buildings in rural western Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, built by Scots-Irish Presbyterian immigrants. The church was built in 1732 with rough-hewn stone walls and a gambrel roof, and its design followed the parent church in County Donegal, Ireland. It was remodeled in 1851, when the chapel was realigned and a narthex was created. The cemetery holds more than thirty graves of Revolutionary War soldiers, along with the grave of Reverend James Anderson, the congregation's first full-time minister. Nearby, a white oak called the Witness Tree marks the legend that Colonel Alexander Lowry rallied local men there in 1777 before they joined Washington's army. The 1810 William Kerr Study House and an 1899 sandstone war memorial also stand on the grounds. The complex is significant for its role in early Presbyterian church organization and in the patriotic traditions of the local community.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church was one of the earliest Presbyterian church buildings in the Pennsylvania backcountry and became the headquarters of an early western judicatory. It states that Scots-Irish congregation members used the church as a meeting place during the Revolutionary War, and that the Witness Tree tradition of pledged loyalty is associated with the site.
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 85001482, listed July 2, 1985. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Donegal Springs Rd., East Donegal Township |
|---|---|
| County | Lancaster County |
| Listed | July 2, 1985 |
| Reference number | 85001482 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | 1732-1850 |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | European, Exploration/Settlement, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is in excellent condition and unaltered at the original site, with a 1958 addition; the study house was apparently restored in 1976. |
| Acreage | 7.5 |
| Coordinates | 40.10126, -76.56628 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 85001482.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5295617
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.