Barcroft Community House
Also known as: St. Paul's Episcopal Church; Barcroft School House; VDHR No. 0
Why it's listed
Built in 1908 on South Buchanan Street in Arlington's Barcroft neighborhood, this small wood frame building began as a church and community hall built through local fund-raising. That fall the county School Board leased it as a schoolhouse, and a second room was added at the rear in 1913. Clad in German weatherboard, it has a steep front gable, lancet windows and a stone foundation. A pedimented portico was added in 1926, and 1930s work brought a stage, a furnace and basement restrooms. The school moved to a new brick building in 1925, but the house stayed at the center of neighborhood life, hosting scout troops, clubs, civic meetings and several congregations. The Barcroft School and Civic League has owned it since 1914. It is believed to be the only one-room wooden school building left in Arlington, and it reflects the area's shift from farmland to suburb.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is significant for its role in the 20th-century development of Barcroft, one of Arlington County's early suburban subdivisions, where it was the most important structure in community affairs. It is also believed to be the only one-room wooden frame school building remaining in Arlington, and it embodies Gothic Revival features such as the steep front gable and lancet windows.
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 95000928, listed July 28, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 800 S. Buchanan St., Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | July 28, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000928 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1908-1925 |
| Architectural style | Late 19th/Early 20th Century American Movement/Craftsman (described in the text as Gothic Revival in character) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Education, Religion, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a community meeting hall and church; leased since 1982 to a Bulgarian Orthodox church for weekend services, with community groups meeting during the week. Some modernizations were made in the 1930s. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Within district | Fairlington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 38.84187, -77.09785 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
National Register listing is honorary for a privately owned home: it does not by itself restrict what an owner may do with their own money, and it does not require public access. Restrictions come from local landmark or historic-district ordinances, which are separate (how they differ).
Owner-occupied houses are not eligible for the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit, which applies to income-producing buildings, but many states offer credits for homeowners. Listing also opens the door to preservation easements and to buying a plaque. Start with what listing means for homeowners, renovating a listed house and selling one.
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 95000928.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14711997
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.