Raphine in Rockbridge County, Virginia — The American South (Mid-Atlantic)

New Providence Presbyterian Church

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

1. New Providence Presbyterian Church Marker

Inscription. Birthplace of:
The Synod of Virginia 1788.
Women of the Church.
Presbyterian Church U.S.A. 1812.
——————
It was one of the first churches
in America to have a Sunday
School and adjacent cemetery.
——————
It has been in continuous use since
the 1700’s.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Churches & Religion • Education • Women. In addition, it is included in the American Presbyterian and Reformed Historic Sites series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1746.

Location. 37° 57.11′ N, 79° 18.101′ W. Marker is in Raphine, Virginia, in Rockbridge County. Marker is on Brownsburg Turnpike (Virginia Route 252) just south of New Providence Road, on the right when traveling south. Marker, church and cemetery are located at the southwest corner of the intersection. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1208 New Providence Road, Raphine VA 24472, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 6 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Brownsburg (approx. 1.9 miles away); a different marker also named Brownsburg (approx. 1.9 miles away); Cyrus H. McCormick (approx. 5 miles away); The Marl Creek Interpretive Trail (approx. 5 miles away);

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Walnut Grove (approx. 5 miles away); Cherry Grove Estate (approx. 5.4 miles away); Rockbridge County / Augusta County (approx. 5.7 miles away); Virginia Inventors (approx. 5.7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Raphine.

Regarding New Providence Presbyterian Church. National Register of Historic Places #80004223; Virginia Historic Landmark (1978); and American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site.

Also see . . .
1. New Providence Presbyterian Church. Wikipedia entry:
The present brick structure was built in 1859, and is a monumental, one-story Greek Revival style brick building. The front façade features a central recessed portico marked by slightly projecting flanking piers and a similarly projecting pediment supported on two massive, unfluted Doric order columns. In 1926 a three-story, brick Sunday School wing was added to the rear. (Submitted on November 11, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

2. New Providence Presbyterian Church. Website homepage:
Our third building was made with stone and probably occupied the site over which our present brick building stands. It was completed around 1760 and was quite an undertaking for the people of

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

2. New Providence Presbyterian Church Marker

(looking west from Brownsburg Turnpike • church in background • marker on right)

that day. There were no roads, no wagons. Sand for the mortar was brought from South River some eight or ten miles away by the young girls and women of the congregation on horseback. Unintentionally, a sycamore seed was brought in the sand which took root and grew into a tree that still stands today. (Submitted on November 11, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

3. New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate

New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate (<i>left detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

4. New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate (left detail)

John Brown – 1753-1795 • Sam’l Brown – 1796-1818 • Jas. Morrison – 1819-1857 • A.D. Hepburn – 1858-1860 • E.D. Junkin – 1860-1880 • C.R. Vaughn – 1881-1891 • G.A. Wilson – 1892-1909 • H.W.McLaughlin – 1909-1925 • C.M. Hanna – 1926-1938 • J.B. Walthall – 1938-1943 • Locke White – 1943-1952 • R.G. Hutcheson – 1952-1959 • D.A. Campbell – 1960-1964 • John K. Boyd – 1964-1966 • D.H. Coblentz – 1967-1976 • Thomas Biggs – 1977-1987 • John H. H. Lewis – 1989-1996 • G. Coppedge 1997-1998 • C.L. Crotwell – 2001-2009 • K.A. Cornfield – 2011-2015

New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate (<i>right detail</i>) image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

5. New Providence Presbyterian Church Gate (right detail)

New Providence Church
Founded
1746

American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site No. 111 image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

6. American Presbyterian and Reformed Historical Site No. 111

(mounted near front entrance)
Registered by
the
Presbyterian Historical
Society
Philadelphia, PA.

New Providence Presbyterian Church<br>Virginia Historic Landmark image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

7. New Providence Presbyterian Church
Virginia Historic Landmark

(mounted near front entrance)
New Providence
Presbyterian Church
has been registered as a
Virginia
Historic
Landmark
pursuant to the authority vested in the
Virginia Historic Landmarks Commission
Act of 1966

New Providence Presbyterian Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, September 27, 2021

8. New Providence Presbyterian Church

(looking west from near marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on November 17, 2023. It was originally submitted on November 11, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 364 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. submitted on November 11, 2021, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.