Mount Zion Methodist Church Parsonage

11511 Smith Rd, Cornelius, NC 28031

Completed in 1897 and still retaining much of its original architectural integrity, the original parsonage of the Mount Zion Methodist Church is the oldest and best preserved structure of its type and architectural style in Cornelius. Its historic significance is tied directly to the church which located to its current site, across NC Highway 115 and the railroad tracks from the parsonage, in 1835. Many of the Mount Zion congregation’s social activities, ranging from weddings to committee meetings, took place in the parsonage. The house is also significant in that it is a rare example within Cornelius of a traditional vernacular residence with both Colonial Revival and Victorian style influences. It retains many elements original to the house, including five fireplaces with hand-carved mantels. The house was used as the church’s parsonage until 1931, when the church constructed a new parsonage that also stands across NC Highway 115 and the railroad tracks, on Zion Avenue at the entrance of the Mount Zion Methodist Church property.