Since 1870, our congregation has been worshiping and serving in its present location, 411 Market Street. Land for the present church building at Fifth and Market Streets was purchased in 1858. Construction of the current sanctuary began in 1860; the Civil War delayed completion, and the building was not dedicated until May 1870. Our sanctuary was designed by Samuel Sloan, an architect from Philadelphia.
The building is an example of early English Gothic architecture, with pointed arches and two narrow spires. The spires, originally made of heart pine, were joined with wooden dowels; the taller spire rises 197 feet. Winds from Hurricane Fran in 1996 caused the steeple to be blown from its original support structure. The congregation voted immediately to rebuild the steeple to its original height and look. The sanctuary foundation holds tons of ship ballast discarded from sailing vessels that once crowded the Cape Fear River. A portion of the exposed ballast rock foundation can be seen in the basement of the Education wing. The bell in the tower weighs 2,106 pounds; the tongue weighs 47 pounds. Some of the metal in the bell is probably over 200 years old.
