An unaltered example of a mid-19th-century country church, the diminutive Somerset Christian Church building was erected ca. 1857 to serve a small but active community of the Christian denomination in the rural neighborhood of Somerset, in Orange County. With its bracketed cornice and porch echoing the Italian Villa-style influence, the prominently sited Somerset Christian Church is a stylistic departure from the Greek Revival and Gothic modes that characterized most of Virginia country churches of the period. The interior retains its original furnishings, including its pews, still decorated with painted wood graining. Maintained by a dedicated congregation at the time of its listing, the Somerset Christian Church held regular Sunday services following a period of sporadic use. The church property contributes to the Madison-Barbour Rural Historic District.
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
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