St. Luke’s Church

Smithfield, Virginia (circa 1632)

McPherson Design Group was hired for the structural investigation of St. Luke’s Church that was completed in 2005. For the oldest church in America, the building was in surprisingly good condition. However, flaws were found in the structure and listed in our Facility Condition Inspection Report. Roland McPherson also gave a presentation to the Board of Directors of the Church explaining what was included in our report and giving them a building maintenance schedule to follow in the future. Roland also assisted the Church in obtaining the Save America’s Treasures Grant. St. Luke’s Church, which is affectionately known as “Old Brick”, is the nation’s “only original Gothic church and the oldest existing church of English foundation in America”. Having been constructed in 1632, this church has stood in Smithfield, Virginia for over three centuries. It once gave shelter to the founders of our nation and still remains as our nation’s primary link to the Gothic Era in Europe, which was known for it’s great cathedrals. St. Luke’s was actually built close to five years before the Tower Church inside Jamestown Fort and is obviously on the National Register of Historical Places.