Lexington Presbyterian Church
Also known as: See Also:Lexington Historic District
Why it's listed
Standing at Main and Nelson Streets in downtown Lexington, this Presbyterian church is a temple-form building of stuccoed brick with wooden detailing. Thomas U. Walter of Philadelphia designed it in 1843, and it was completed in 1845. Massive granite steps lead to a Greek Doric portico with six wooden columns and a full entablature. A tower with a louvred belfry and spire rises above. The congregation traced its origins to the 1780s and built an earlier church in 1797 before outgrowing it. The building later grew through a rear wing in 1859, a major renovation in 1899 that brought the present pews and pulpit, a Sunday School building (Murray Hall) in 1906, and further additions and renovations in 1922 and 1953. Stucco was applied by 1880 because the original sandstone facing had worn. A clock was added to the steeple in 1977. It is recognized as an excellent example of Greek Revival church design and one of Walter's Virginia works.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents the church as a distinguished example of Greek Revival ecclesiastical architecture. It was designed by Thomas Ustick Walter of Philadelphia, a leading 19th-century American architect, and is described as one of his finer Virginia works. It shows how classical forms could be adapted for Christian worship.
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 79003282, listed May 24, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main and Nelson Sts., Lexington (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Lexington |
| Listed | May 24, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003282 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1843-1845 |
| Architect / builder | Thomas U. Walter |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; the condition is marked as altered, with additions made in 1859, 1899, 1906, 1922 and 1953 and a clock added in 1977. |
| Acreage | 1.5 |
| Within district | Lexington Historic District |
| Coordinates | 37.78390, -79.44286 (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 79003282.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q14712700
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.