Salem Presbyterian Church (Salem, Virginia) facts for kids
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Salem Presbyterian Church
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U.S. Historic district
Contributing property |
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Salem Presbyterian Church, September 2012
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 Location in Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Location | E. Main and Market Sts., Salem, Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1851 |
| Built by | Deyerle, Benjamin |
| Architectural style | Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 74002245 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1974 |
The Salem Presbyterian Church is a very old and important church building located in Salem, Virginia. You can find it at the corner of East Main and Market Streets. This church was built a long time ago, between 1851 and 1852.
It's designed in a special style called Greek Revival. This means it looks a bit like ancient Greek temples, with tall columns and a grand entrance. The church has a porch-like area called a portico with Ionic order columns. It also has a belfry where the church bell would be.
Contents
A Look Back: Church History
The land where Salem Presbyterian Church stands today has a cool history. It used to belong to a person named Benjamin Faris. In 1838, when the county was first formed, leaders chose this spot for their very first court meeting! It was held at Benjamin Faris's tavern.
How the Church Started
The Salem Presbyterian Church officially began in 1831. It was formed by members from two older churches, Ebenezer and Catawba, who decided to come together.
An important early member of the church was Elijah McClanahan. He was also one of the people who helped start the town of Salem. He was a founding elder (a leader) of the church and owned a lot of land in the area.
New Churches from Old Roots
Sometimes, a new church can grow out of an older one. That's what happened with Wildwood Presbyterian Church. It started as a smaller chapel connected to the Salem Church. Then, in 1954, it became its own separate church.
Building the Church: How It Was Made
The Salem Presbyterian Church is a great example of the Greek Revival style. It's thought that a skilled builder named Benjamin Deyerle might have been in charge of its construction. He was known for building many beautiful Greek Revival homes nearby.
Who Built It?
The detailed wooden parts of the church were likely made by Gustavia D. Sedon, also known as Gustave A. Sedon. He was a well-known carpenter from Roanoke County. Many of the building's design ideas came from special books called "builders' handbooks." These books, like those by Asher Benjamin and Owen Biddle, Jr., showed how to create popular architectural details before the American Civil War.
Construction Details
The Presbyterian group in Salem grew quite large after forming in 1831. Their first church building became too small. So, they started building the current church in 1851. The new building was officially opened on August 8, 1852.
The church was built mainly with the help of enslaved people. The bricks used for the church were even made right there on the building site! The whole project cost about $4,500. This was a lot of money back then, but the church managed to pay for everything before it was even finished.
Early Church Features
When the church was first built, it didn't have electricity. The only light inside the main worship area came from two candelabras. These were like fancy candle holders with four branches, placed on either side of the pulpit (where the preacher stands). Later, oil lamps were used until electricity was finally installed.
To keep warm in the winter, the church had two wood-burning stoves. One was on the eastern wall, and the other was on the western wall. Firewood was kept inside the church, right against the wall, so it was easy to add more wood to the stoves during services.
Recognized as Historic
Because of its important history and unique architecture, the Salem Presbyterian Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it's recognized as a special place worth preserving. It's also part of the larger Downtown Salem Historic District.
