First Christian United Church of Christ

First Christian United Church of Christ is home to the oldest Christian congregation in the city (it is also referred to as First Christian Church). It was built in 1920 and is a striking example of Neoclassical architecture. Located prominently on the corner of Church and Davis Streets, its most notable features are the dome and two large porticos with Tuscan columns. The congregation was founded in 1884. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1984.

First Christian Church was established on February 18, 1884 by a group of 18 founding members. They belonged to a multi-denominational, Protestant congregation called Union Church, which was with built in 1884 by the North Carolina Railroad Company. Members of First Christian continued to worship at Union Church until 1893 when they moved into their first church building, which appears to have been located on the opposite corner of where the current building now stands.

The congregation grew in the coming years and by the 1910s it was clear that a larger church was needed. The new church, which cost $100,000 to build, was erected in 1920. By 1980, the church complex grew to its current size. An addition was built in 1920, an educational building was constructed in 1953, and an office building was erected in 1980. First Christian Church is the only church in Burlington featuring main entrances facing what were once the two main roads into the city. The church also features six stained glass windows made in Italy.

"Our History." First Christian United Church of Christ. Accessed July 5, 2021. https://firstchristianucc.org/about-us.

Roberts, Claudia P. "First Christian Church of Burlington." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. May 31, 1984. https://files.nc.gov/ncdcr/nr/AM0655.pdf.