Parkhurst Memorial Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Brick church on West Main Street in Elkland, a small borough in northern Tioga County, completed in 1889 by the Elmira, New York firm Pierce and Dockstader. The 2½-story building has brownstone trim, patterned brickwork, stained glass windows and a prominent square entrance tower with a slate-shingled spire. Its sanctuary extends east from the main block, giving the building an L-shaped plan. The church was commissioned by the children of businessman Joel Parkhurst as a memorial to their father, who had died in 1884. Its masonry construction and mix of Queen Anne, Gothic and Richardsonian Romanesque features set it apart from the frame churches common in the region. The interior plan, with folding doors linking the sanctuary to classroom and social spaces, reflects the Akron Plan for Sunday School design. The building is regarded as a landmark in Elkland.
Significance in brief: The building is regarded as an important local example of a late nineteenth-century religious building combining Queen Anne, Gothic and Richardsonian Romanesque influences. It was designed by the regional firm Pierce and Dockstader of Elmira, New York, and is listed for its architectural merit. The document describes it as a landmark in Elkland and an unusually masonry-built church for a community of its size in Tioga County.
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 12000224, listed April 16, 2012. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 302 W. Main St., Elkland |
|---|---|
| County | Tioga County |
| Listed | April 16, 2012 |
| Reference number | 12000224 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889 |
| Architect / builder | Pierce and Dockstader |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Romanesque |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.98899, -77.31633 (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 12000224.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7138511
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.