020-5088 Chester Presbyterian Church

For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF

VLR Listing Date 06/15/1976

NRHP Listing Date 11/21/1976

NRHP Reference Number 76002098

Now the chapel of a recently expanded Chester Presbyterian Church, this simple Gothic Revival structure has served the Chester community in Chesterfield County for some 120 years. The church was built in 1880 almost singlehandedly by Martin T. Grove, one of a group of northern fortune seekers who brought their families to the Chester area following a rumor that Gen. Benjamin Butler had left behind a buried military chest containing $80,000 after the Civil War. They discovered no money, but some became founding members of Chester Presbyterian Church in 1878. The church was at times a temporary meeting place for Methodists and Baptists. It was moved to its present location from the original site on Winfree Road in 1951. In 1995 the building was repositioned and renovated to become the focal point of a new sanctuary complex. The original pews are still in use.

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

Updated: June 29, 2021