Lomax African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Also known as: 000-1148
Why it's listed
Lomax A.M.E. Zion Church is a one-story brick church at 2704 24th Road South in the Nauck neighborhood of Arlington, Virginia. Built in 1922 in the Gothic Revival style, it has a front-gable roof, two unequal crenellated towers, brick buttresses and lancet-arched stained-glass windows. A 1966 education building, a 1951 Cape Cod parsonage and a cemetery with about 107 marked burials dating from 1894 to 1982 share the site. The congregation began as Wesley Zion Church in 1863 in Freedman's Village, a settlement for formerly enslaved people, and moved to the Nauck area in 1874. The present building is the third church on the congregation's site. It is described as the oldest surviving African American church in Arlington County and the only A.M.E. Zion church there. Its period of significance runs from about 1894 to 1953, reflecting its role in African American heritage and religion. Local craftsmen, including carpenter Thomas West and bricklayer Leonard Gray, built it.
Significance in brief: The church is described as the oldest extant African American church in Arlington County and the only A.M.E. Zion church in the county. Its congregation began in Freedman's Village in 1863 and moved to Nauck in 1874. It is significant under Criterion A for African American heritage and religion.
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 04000038, listed February 11, 2004. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 2704 24th Rd. S, Arlington |
|---|---|
| County | Arlington County |
| Listed | February 11, 2004 |
| Reference number | 04000038 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | ca. 1894-1953 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas West, carpenter; Leondard Gray, bricklayer; Willard Gant |
| Architectural style | Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals/Late Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Black, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; the form lists current functions as religious facility, cemetery and church-related residence. |
| Acreage | 1.8 |
| Coordinates | 38.84754, -77.08221 (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 04000038.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q6669298
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.