Irvine United Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Built in 1837 in Irvine, Warren County, this single-story gable-roofed church is constructed of cut, dressed and coursed fieldstone. Robert Shortt, a Scottish stone mason who had settled in the area in 1833, built it for Dr. William Irvine at an estimated cost of $900 apart from its benches and pulpit. The church is laid out three bays by three, with a fanlight above the entrance, an eight-panel door, and stone quoins, sills and window arches. Its front windows are false, with wooden shutters closing on blank masonry recesses, which were used to achieve a symmetrical facade. Its side windows are twenty-over-twenty sash. The nomination regards its refined Greek Revival design as unusual for western Pennsylvania rural churches. It also records that the church remains in its natural setting alongside its graveyard, and that it was documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is architecturally significant for its refined design, which it describes as unusual for Western Pennsylvania. It is presented as an example of the small country church in its purest form, with little embellishment. The building is also said to remain in a relatively unchanged rural setting with its adjacent graveyard.
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 76001676, listed August 27, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-haiku-5-5, prompt v1.1-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Off U.S. 6, Irvine |
|---|---|
| County | Warren County |
| Listed | August 27, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001676 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Robert Shortt (stone mason and builder) |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 41.83823, -79.27101 (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 76001676.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q15228827
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.