Unity Presbyterian Church Complex
National Register Listing
Street Address:
303 Tom Hall St., Fort Mill, SC (York County)
Alternate Name:
Old Unity Cemetery; Unity/Municipal Cemetery; Unity Manse
NRHP Nomination
Record Number:
S10817746041
Description and Narrative:
Built in 1881, The Unity Presbyterian Church Complex is significant because of the architectural values of the church sanctuary. The building, with elements of the Queen Anne Style and the Romanesque Revival style, represents a high degree of architectural merit and design. The detail involved in the brickwork and the traceried windows are unusual for a church in a small town and with a relatively small congregation. The overall complex also has significance for its role in the development of the town of Fort Mill and in the religious life of the community. The complex includes the church building, the church manse, Unity/Municipal Cemetery, and the Old Unity Cemetery. The church was the first religious organization in the Fort Mill area, having been created when the area was still part of the Catawba Indian Nation. The church has occupied four different sites since 1788, reflecting the gradual shift of the population. It is uniquely associated with the events that have been significant with the development of Fort Mill, and is the only organization that has been in existence throughout the history of the town. The Unity Manse was built in 1920 adjacent to the sanctuary. The Unity/Municipal Cemetery began as a burying ground for the church in the 1880s, but has served as the municipal cemetery since the 1920s. The Old Unity Cemetery is at the location of the second building of Unity Church. It is enclosed by a dry laid stone wall and contains approximately 115 graves. Listed in the National Register June 11, 1992. The Manse built in 1920 was demolished in 2015. The Education Building (Unity Hall) built in 1938 was damaged by fire in 2018 and demolished in 2020.
Period of Significance:
1881
Level of Significance:
Local
Area of Significance:
Architecture;Religion
National Register Determination:
listed
Date of Certification:
June 11 1992
