Zion Lutheran Church
Also known as: The Lutheran Church of Middle Smithfield,Inc. 1866
Why it's listed
A small one-story brick church built in 1851 in a modified Greek Revival style, according to the datestone in its gable. Church records give the cost of construction as $1,603.04. The bricks were made by members of the congregation, and the slate roof came from Slateford in Northampton County. The plain interior holds one rectangular room with a balcony, an altar space and painted wooden pews, and the flooring, molded trim and pews appear to be original. The building sits on a steep hill above a small basement and overlooks the Delaware River. The congregation traces its roots to Lutheran services held in Smithfield between 1749 and 1754 by Catechist Rudolph Henry Schrenck, whose work was praised in reports to the missionary society at the University of Halle. The first church record, from a book beginning in 1798, has a hand-drawn decorated title page in German, a fraktur piece. The building is valued as a well-preserved example of mid-nineteenth century rural church construction.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant as a well-preserved example of mid-nineteenth century rural church architecture and construction. It also cites the congregation's roots in Lutheran services held in Smithfield from 1749 to 1754, and the decorated fraktur title page of its first church record.
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 72000094, listed November 9, 1972. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Off River Rd., East Stroudsburg |
|---|---|
| County | Monroe County |
| Listed | November 9, 1972 |
| Reference number | 72000094 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1851 |
| Architectural style | Modified Greek Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as in fair condition, with bracing through bolts added; the original site is retained. |
| Acreage | 0.2 |
| Coordinates | 41.04058, -75.03817 (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 72000094.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16904544
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.