Marion in McDowell County, North Carolina — The American South (South Atlantic)
First Presbyterian Church
Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 3, 2024
1. First Presbyterian Church Marker
has been placed on the
National Register
of Historic Places
by the United States
Department of the Interior
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Architecture • Religion & Religious Structures. In addition, it is included in the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1922.
Location. 35° 41.064′ N, 82° 0.732′ W. Marker is in Marion, North Carolina, in McDowell County. It is at the intersection of Academy Street and West Fort Street, on the left when traveling north on Academy Street. Marker is below the lower center stained-glass window on the church portico. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 79 Academy St, Marion NC 28752, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in North Carolina’s Mountains. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in Appalachia, and specifically in Southern Appalachia. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere.
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Lone Beech (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); First Baptist Church (about 700 feet away); Roy Williams (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Charters of Freedom (approx. 0.2 miles away); M/Sgt. Shufford Cline Rowe (approx. 0.2 miles away); McDowell County War Memorial (approx. 0.2 miles away); McDowell County Courthouse (approx. 0.2 miles away); Sesquicentennial Testament (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Marion.
Regarding First Presbyterian Church. Excerpts from the National Register nomination:
First Presbyterian Church is an outstanding example of the use of the Neo-Classical Revival style in Marion in the 1920s. Significant details include the monumental portico on the front of the building and classical details elsewhere such as Palladian windows, Ionic columns, and use of the arch over windows.Photographed by Duane and Tracy Marsteller, February 3, 20242. First Presbyterian Church MarkerMarker is below the center window on the lower row.
On June 25, 1845, three of McDowell County's earliest settlers, William M. Carson, George M. Carson, and J. L. Carson, for one dollar, gave the lot to be used for building a Presbyterian church. Two years later, in 1847, a small, Greek Revival building had been constructed where the present church now stands. This was the first church built in Marion, and it served the Presbyterian congregation for nearly 80 years, until the present building was completed in 1923.
Also see . . .
1. First Presbyterian Church (PDF). National Register registration submitted for the church, which was listed in 1991. (Prepared by Sybil Argintar Bowers; via North Carolina State Historic Preservation Office) (Submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
2. First Presbyterian Church, 1845-1945, Marion, North Carolina. Digitized copy of a 48-page history issued during the church's centennial. (via North Carolina Digital Collections) (Submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 5, 2024. It was originally submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. This page has been viewed 254 times since then and 14 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on February 5, 2024, by Duane and Tracy Marsteller of Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
