Ronceverte Christian Church

Ronceverte Christian Church, Ronceverte, West Virginia

–  Click on the image to enlarge or purchase  –

Ronceverte Christian Church

The central area of Ronceverte is built along roads which run down the valley parallel to the railroad is an area steeped in history. Ronceverte is French for “Bramble Green”, which is the Gallic equivalent for “Greenbrier” which is a common vine found in the area.  Rumor has it that surveyors were trapped in a thicket of the painful vines when they discovered the Greenbrier River. The town was incorporated on April 1, 1882.  One of the earliest buildings was the Ronceverte Christian Church which was built in 1886.

This Gothic Revival style church is the first, and only, Church of the Disciples of Christ as the Christian Church is also known, in Greenbrier County.  It is a small single story wooden building with a gable roof. It has a prominent portico is on the facade with a shingled half-wall, and posts joined by cut-out brackets. Stone steps run from the west side of the porch to a flight of concrete steps down to the street. The church also has a 2-story tower with an open belfry is on the southeast corner.Located in the church are four stained glass windows donated by prominent citizens of the town during its heyday between the 1880s and 1940s.

The Ronceverte Christian Church is one of more than 200 contributing buildings to the Ronceverte Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.  We will visit some of the other buildings in the town such as Shanklins Grand Theater and the Greene Hotel in future posts.

Summary

Article Name

Ronceverte Christian Church

Description

The 1886 built Gothic Revival Ronceverte Christian Church is the only Church of the Disciples of Christ as it is also known in Greenbrier County WV

Author

Mark Summerfield

Publisher Name

Mark Summerfield

Publisher Logo