First Presbyterian Church
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built between 1901 and 1902 at the corner of Fannin and Third Streets in Van Horn, this church is a one-story, rectangular building of stuccoed adobe with eighteen-inch walls on a shallow native stone foundation. A gable roof, now covered in asbestos shingles, carries a short spire over the east entrance. Early photographs show scored and painted walls imitating stone blocks and a Carpenter Gothic porch with turned columns, but these features were lost, and a 1949 fire led to heavy interior remodeling. A manse was added nearby in 1912-1913 and a cinder block Sunday School wing in 1930. The church was the first permanent Protestant religious structure in Culberson County, on land donated by the Texas and Pacific Railroad. It began as an interdenominational church and hosted several congregations before they built their own. It was also the setting for weddings, funerals and social gatherings. After deconsecration it passed to the county historical survey committee, which planned restoration as a community and museum space.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as the first permanent Protestant religious structure in Culberson County, built on land donated by the Texas and Pacific Railroad. It served as a center of religious and social life in Van Horn and housed several denominations before they built their own churches. It is also described as a vernacular interpretation of an East Coast church form in the Trans-Pecos region.
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 78002912, listed December 1, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Fannin and 3rd Sts., Van Horn |
|---|---|
| County | Culberson County |
| Listed | December 1, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78002912 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1901-1902 |
| Architect / builder | John Clark (?) |
| Architectural style | Vernacular church form with original Carpenter Gothic details |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Marked as unoccupied and in fair condition; the church was recently deconsecrated and transferred to the county historical survey committee, which hoped to restore it for community meetings and museum displays. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 31.04255, -104.83481 (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.
Noted as vacant in the nomination. Nomination documents can be decades old; current status may differ. If you are considering buying an empty listed property, read the due-diligence checklist.
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 78002912.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5453649
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.