St. Luke's Church
National Historic Landmark

St. Luke's Church

Smithfield, Isle Of Wight County, Virginia
Listed
October 14, 1966
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
66000838

About this property

St. Luke's Church, also known as Old Brick Church, or Newport Parish Church, is a historic church building, located in the unincorporated community of Benns Church, near Smithfield in Isle of Wight County, Virginia, United States. It is the oldest church in Virginia and oldest church in British North America of brick construction. According to local tradition the structure was built in 1632, but other evidence points to a date of 1682; see Dating controversy. On October 15, 1966, St. Luke's was designated a National Historic Landmark and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in recognition of its historic and architectural distinction. In 1957 President Dwight D. Eisenhower designated the site a National Shrine in concert with the 350th anniversary of Jamestown. Since 1954 Historic St. Luke's Restoration, doing business as Historic St. Luke's Church, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that maintains, preserves, promotes, and interprets the 17th-century, 100-acre historic site. Historic St. Luke's does not receive any federal, state, or municipal funding. All funding comes from private corporations, foundations, and individuals.

Location

Smithfield, Isle Of Wight County, Virginia
36.94055, -76.58555

Categories

ARCHITECTURE
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about St. Luke's Church

This page lists St. Luke's Church. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your St. Luke's Church report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Windsor Castle Farm
Industrial
3.3 mi
Gwaltney, P.D., Jr., House
Industrial
3.7 mi
Parker, Col. Josiah, Family Cemetery
Listed
3.7 mi
Old Isle of Wight Courthouse
Industrial
3.8 mi
Rand, William, Tavern
Early Republic
3.9 mi

Nearby Battles

Action at Newport News Point
1861Civil War
8.5 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. Luke's Church listed on the National Register?

St. Luke's Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on October 14, 1966.

What type of historic resource is St. Luke's Church?

St. Luke's Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

Is St. Luke's Church a National Historic Landmark?

Yes. St. Luke's Church has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.

What is the period of significance for St. Luke's Church?

The period of significance for St. Luke's Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near St. Luke's Church?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near St. Luke's Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Isle Of Wight County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Isle Of Wight County.

Explore Isle Of WightCounty ›

More historic places in Virginia

Browse all historic places in Virginia.

View Virginiahistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

Virginia history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

Virginiahistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near St. Luke's Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report