Fourth Baptist Church
Why it's listed
Fourth Baptist Church, at 2800 P Street on the northern edge of Richmond's Church Hill neighborhood, was completed in 1884. It is a monumental, temple-form building of stuccoed brick, fronted by a distyle portico in antis with Doric columns on a high podium, with cast-iron rails, lamp standards and a fence. Inside, the sanctuary reflects late Victorian taste, with oak pews, pulpit and furniture, a large pipe organ and stained-glass windows, some portraying early church figures including the first pastor, the Reverend Scott Gwathmey. The congregation grew from prayer meetings held by enslaved people, moved into the basement of the Leigh Street Baptist Church in 1861, and was formally founded in December 1865. A frame church was built in 1875 before the present building. The nomination values the church both as a restrained Greek Revival design resembling Richmond's Old First Baptist Church and as a symbol of Black religious independence after emancipation. A Sunday School building was added in 1964.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church expresses Richmond's conservative late 19th-century architectural taste, pairing a plain Greek Revival facade with a stylish Victorian interior. It is also presented as a symbol of the social, religious and economic conditions of Black Richmonders after emancipation, tracing the congregation from slave prayer meetings to an independent church founded in 1865.
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 79003291, listed September 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 2800 P St., Richmond (Independent City) |
|---|---|
| County | Richmond (city and county) |
| Listed | September 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79003291 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival exterior with late Victorian interior |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in private religious use, and in excellent condition; the podium was veneered in cast stone in 1964 and a Sunday School building was added that year. |
| Acreage | 1 |
| Within district | Church Hill North Historic District (Boundary Increase) |
| Coordinates | 37.53596, -77.40971 (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 79003291.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q16891386
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.