Bluemont Presbyterian Church and Cemetery
Also known as: 070-5044
Why it's listed
Bluemont Presbyterian Church is a small Gothic Revival building with a cemetery, set on two acres on the south side of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Willis Gap in Patrick County, Virginia. Built in 1919 as a wood-frame church, it was faced in natural quartz and quartzite fieldstone in 1946 under the direction of Rev. Robert W. Childress, who became pastor in 1945. Congregation members pledged money and hauled stone to complete the work, even as parkway rangers objected under a 1937 scenic easement. A semi-hexagonal bell tower, triangular-headed stained-glass windows and tapered stone buttresses define its look. The cemetery, with about one hundred graves, is enclosed by ashlar masonry pillars linked by painted steel chains. Childress also added electric lighting, outdoor loudspeakers and church buses for Sunday school. The property is one of six Childress rock churches, valued for its religious and social history and its architecture from 1919 to 1956.
Significance in brief: It is one of six rock-faced Presbyterian churches built or transformed by minister Robert W. Childress in Floyd, Carroll and Patrick Counties. It reflects Appalachian Presbyterian worship and social activism in western Virginia, and is significant for its religion, social history and architecture.
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 07000224, listed March 30, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Blue Ridge Pkwy, Mile Post #192, Fancy Gap |
|---|---|
| County | Patrick County |
| Listed | March 30, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07000224 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1919-1956 |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Religion, Social History, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church and cemetery are still in religious and funerary use. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Coordinates | 36.65794, -80.57342 (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 07000224.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4930383
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.