St. James Church
Also known as: Garth Chapel; VDHR File # 002-0582
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Why it's listed
St. James Church, locally called Garth Chapel, is a small Gothic Revival chapel built in 1896 on a wooded one-acre lot beside Garth Road, about five miles from Charlottesville. The wood-frame building measures roughly twenty by thirty-five feet, with weatherboard walls, a fieldstone foundation, a standing-seam copper roof, and lancet-arched windows with louvered shutters. Inside are a small vestibule, a nave with original oak pews, wainscoting, and a raised chancel. It has never been given electricity or plumbing. The church was built for a congregation of about 25 to 30 people, mostly members of the locally prominent Garth family, with sponsorship from Christ Episcopal Church in Charlottesville. Two cemeteries lie on the property, and the larger one contributes to its significance. The property was recognized for its architecture. It is considered the best-preserved small, vernacular Carpenter Gothic church in Albemarle County, retaining its original setting and a high degree of integrity. Garth descendants still maintain it.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is the best-preserved small, vernacular Carpenter Gothic church in Albemarle County, retaining high integrity of design, setting, and materials. It has never been given water or electricity and keeps its original pews and interior finishes. It is also one of the earliest rural uses of the style in the county and is smaller than other surviving examples.
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 12001186, listed January 14, 2013. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | VA 614, E. of VA 676, Charlottesville |
|---|---|
| County | Albemarle County |
| Listed | January 14, 2013 |
| Reference number | 12001186 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1896 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals: Late Gothic Revival (Carpenter Gothic) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still consecrated and used for christenings, weddings, and funerals, though there is no active congregation; it is unheated, unplumbed, and not electrified, and is maintained by descendants of the Garth family through the Trustees of St. James Church. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Coordinates | 38.10212, -78.57289 (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 12001186.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713245
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.