St. James Church
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Why it's listed
St. James Church in Accomac, Virginia, is a one-story brick church built in 1838 using materials salvaged from an earlier eighteenth-century church nearby. Outside, a stuccoed gable front carries a four-column Greek Doric portico with an unusual unbroken row of guttae, and above it rises a Gothic bell tower with small crockets and a squat spire. Four tall windows with rubbed brick arches line each side. The real distinction is inside, where painted architectural decoration imitates a coffered vault, pilasters, entablature and plasterwork. The painting uses shadows and false perspective in true trompe l'oeil fashion, and was done soon after construction by a traveling artist named Potts. The church keeps its original pews and a gallery stair that descends in an unsupported flight, and the paintings were restored in 1929. The property was recognized because such sophisticated decoration is unusual in a church of otherwise provincial architecture.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is significant mainly for its surviving nineteenth-century painted architectural decoration inside, done soon after construction by a traveling artist named Potts. It calls the trompe l'oeil work an extremely fine, if not unique, example of antebellum church decoration. The contrast between the provincial exterior and the sophisticated interior is also noted.
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 69000215, listed June 11, 1969. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Daugherty Rd. between Back St. and Ocean Hwy., Accomac |
|---|---|
| County | Accomack County |
| Listed | June 11, 1969 |
| Reference number | 69000215 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1838) |
| Architect / builder | Painted decoration by a traveling artist named Potts; builder not named |
| Architectural style | Greek Doric portico with Gothic bell tower; interior painted trompe l'oeil decoration |
| Areas of significance | Art |
| Level of significance | National |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as surviving in excellent condition (the form's condition box is marked fair/good); retains original pews, and the painted decoration was carefully restored in 1929. Occupied, in religious use. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Accomac Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.71745, -75.67225 (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 69000215.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588450
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.