St. Mary's Church
Why it's listed
St. Mary's Church is a small, white frame church in Fairfax Station, Virginia, completed in 1858. Built in the early Gothic Revival tradition, it has a basilican plan, a steeple at the entrance end, an interior gallery, and arched windows along its sides, two of them in stained glass. It was raised by Irish immigrants who had been recruited to build the Orange and Alexandria Railroad and then settled nearby, and it is recorded as the first Roman Catholic church built in Fairfax County. During the Civil War, after the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862, wounded soldiers were brought here by train. Clara Barton, later founder of the American Red Cross, nursed them in and around the church, and many who died were buried in the churchyard. Federal troops burned the original pews for firewood. The church has remained in continuous use, and its annual parish picnic is considered the oldest outdoor social function in the county.
Significance in brief: It was built for Irish immigrants recruited to work on the Orange and Alexandria Railroad and was the first Roman Catholic church built in Fairfax County. After the Second Battle of Bull Run in August 1862 it served as a field hospital where Clara Barton tended wounded soldiers. It has been in continuous use as a church.
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 76002104, listed July 1, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5605 Vogue Rd., Fairfax Station |
|---|---|
| County | Fairfax (city and county) |
| Listed | July 1, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76002104 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1858 |
| Architectural style | Early Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Military, Transportation, Health/Medicine, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in continuous use as a church; exterior stated as unaltered since 1858. |
| Acreage | 2.3 |
| Coordinates | 38.80239, -77.32653 (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 76002104.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14713246
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.