010-0040

Sharon Lutheran Church and Cemetery

VLR Listing Date

11/21/1978

NRHP Listing Date

02/01/1979

NRHP Reference Number

79003030

Sharon Lutheran Church and Cemetery was established by Lutherans who were a branch of the large German settlement of Wythe County. The first church here was built in 1821. The cemetery contains a significant number of boldly carved Germanic gravestones, documenting the artistry and rich folk culture of these settlers. The fifty to sixty surviving Germanic stones relate stylistically to those in early Lutheran cemeteries in both Wythe and Tazewell counties. These thick sandstone slabs are decorated on both sides, and make use of standard Germanic motifs such as eight-petaled flowers, hearts, vines, and abstract geometrical shapes. The present Sharon Lutheran Church was built ca. 1883 to replace the 1821 church and retains a little-altered Eastlake-style interior. Both this church and its predecessor were shared by the Lutherans with a Presbyterian congregation until 1911 when the latter group built its own structure.

Last Updated: February 2, 2024

Many properties listed in the registers are private dwellings and are not open to the public, however many are visible from the public right-of-way. Please be respectful of owner privacy.

Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark

For additional information Read

Nomination Form

010-5027

Junius Marcellus Updyke Farm

Bland (County)

010-0072

Wolf Creek Bridge

Bland (County)

010-0039

Mountain Glen

Bland (County)