National Register of Historic Places

Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church

Fishersville, Augusta County, Virginia
Listed
April 10, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001993

About this property

The Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church is a Presbyterian church founded in 1740, and is the second-oldest Presbyterian congregation in the Valley of Virginia (the Shenandoah Valley). Its historic 1850 Greek Revival building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1973. The church's first building was a log structure built during 1742–1748. Much of the cost of the original meeting house was underwritten by Colonel James Patton. It took nearly three years to finish, with some controversy between Patton and his uncle John Lewis over where it was to be located. The first service was held there on 14 April 1745, when the Reverend John Craig wrote: "This being the first day we meet at the contentious meeting-house, about half-built." The log structure was replaced by a stone building in 1790. The Greek Revival church is its third building, and was designed by Robert Lewis Dabney who served as pastor there from 1852–1857. The building, along with two other churches designed by Dabney, is credited with influencing ecclesiastical architecture in Virginia. Dabney designed at least two other NRHP-listed churches, Briery Church, in Briery, Virginia, and New Providence Presbyterian Church, near Brownsburg, Virginia. The brick building is in the form of a temple with a pedimented diastyle Doric portico in the center of the facade. Recessed panels are incorporated in each anta, with another set of recessed panels flanking the portico. Brick pilasters frame the panels in addition to the four stained glass windows on the east and west sides. The west entrance has a pediment which is supported by Tuscan columns. The west door is flanked by a pair of Doric pilasters and is surmounted by a pediment with dentil cornice and a plain frieze. The building has a one-story addition in the rear which adheres to the character of the main structure, using panelled bays framed by brick pilasters. A later gable-roofed addition is connected to the church by a brick passageway to the east. Wilson, Howard McKnight (1974). The Tinkling Spring: Headwater of Freedom : A Study of the Church and Her People, 1732-1952 (Second ed.). Tinkling Spring and Hermitage Presbyterian Churches. OCLC 1120317. Media related to Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church at Wikimedia Commons Tinkling Springs Church, State Route 608, Fishersville, Augusta County, VA: 5 measured drawings at Historic American Buildings Survey

Location

Fishersville, Augusta County, Virginia
38.08545, -78.98260

Categories

ARCHITECTURERELIGION
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 Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church

This page lists Tinkling Spring Presbyterian 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 Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

Harper House
Industrial
3.7 mi
Rose Cliff
Industrial
4.7 mi
Plumb House
Industrial
4.7 mi
Tree Streets Historic District
Civil War
4.9 mi
Chapel Hill
Industrial
5.1 mi

Nearby Battles

Cavalry Fight at Waynesboro
1865Civil War
4.5 mi
Waynesboro – Rosser Rear Guard Action
1865Civil War
5.1 mi
Waynesboro — Destruction of Early's Army (March 2 1865)
1865Civil War
5.2 mi

Questions about this property

When was Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church listed on the National Register?

Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 10, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church?

Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church?

The period of significance for Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Tinkling Spring Presbyterian 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 Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Augusta County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Augusta County.

Explore AugustaCounty ›

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 Tinkling Spring Presbyterian Church will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report