Virginia Department of Historic Resources Virginia Department of Historic Resources
For additional information, read the Nomination Form PDF
VLR Listing Date 04/19/1988
NRHP Listing Date 09/07/1989
NRHP Reference Number 89001402
In the heart of Leesburg, this site contains the archaeological remains of the earliest Methodist meetinghouse in Virginia. Constructed between 1766 and 1770 and rebuilt in 1785, the church stood until 1902. The surviving colonial churches and church sites in Virginia consist mostly of Anglican examples, with few that represent the dissenting congregations of Quakers, Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, and Methodists. As the Leesburg site was in continuous use between the 1760s and 1902, it is likely to contain artifacts relating both to the congregation and to the structure itself. The Old Stone Church was also the first Methodist-owned property in the United States, and was the location of the sixth American conference of Methodists in 1778 (the first such conference in Virginia). The site is an official National Historic Shrine of the United Methodist Church.
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: April 19, 2021
