Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 06/20/1989
NRHP Listing Date 11/13/1989
NRHP Reference Number 89001803
Erected in 1922, this severely plain church reflects the extreme simplicity of the religious tenets of this branch of Baptists. The Primitive Baptists grew out of an early-19th-century reaction against missionary and tract activities. Believing that changes compromised the basic spiritual simplicity of Calvinist principles, they withdrew from the mainline Baptist Church and identified themselves as Primitive Baptists. Their liturgy was the simplest possible, and thus their services required only fundamental shelter. Primitive Baptists were a strong force in Montgomery County until the mid-20th century. The earliest churches have either disappeared or have been replaced by modern structures. The Montgomery Primitive Baptist Church is Montgomery County’s oldest and stands essentially unaltered from its original form. The interior is sheathed in unpainted tongue-and-groove boards. Plain wooden pews fill the space and a pair of wood stoves provide heat.
The Montgomery Primitive Baptist Church was listed in the registers under the Prehistoric and Historic Resources of Montgomery County MPD.
Abbreviations:
VLR: Virginia Landmarks Register
NPS: National Park Service
NRHP: National Register of Historic Places
NHL: National Historic Landmark
Updated: March 28, 2021
