St. John's Church
Historic church in Washington, D.C. Built 1816 by Benjamin Henry Latrobe. Added to the National Register in 1966, and a National Historic Landmark.
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What it is
St. John's Episcopal Church is a historic Episcopal church located at Sixteenth Street and H Street NW, in Washington, D.C., United States. The Greek Revival building, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, is adjacent to Lafayette Square, one block from the White House. It is often called the "Church of the Presidents". The church reported 2,445 members in 2019 and 1,527 members in 2023; no membership statistics were reported in 2024 parochial reports. Plate and pledge income reported for the congregation in 2024 was $1,481,895. Average Sunday attendance (ASA) in 2024 was 351 persons.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Building |
| Address | 16th and H Sts., NW, Washington, DC |
| County | District of Columbia |
| Listed | Oct 15, 1966 |
| Listed for | Politics and government, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | St. John's Church (Episcopal) |
| Reference number | 66000868 |
| Built | 1816 · more from the 1810s |
| Architect | Benjamin Henry Latrobe |
| Type of place | Protestant church building, congregation, Christian ministry |
| Style | Greek Revival architecture |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark, National Register of Historic Places contributing property |
| Contributing resources | 1 building |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 16th and H Sts., NW, Washington, DC |
| Coordinates | 38.9005° N, 77.0361° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Washington | 675 listed places in Washington → · walking tours → |
| Nearest national park unit | The White House and President's Park · under a mile · on Park Atlas |
| Federal campgrounds nearby | Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc) 4 miles · Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas 4 miles · Greenbelt Park Ranger Station 9 miles |
Explore
Drawings & photographs
Measured drawings and photographs from the Library of Congress. Public domain. All 7 records ↗
Map
Nearby in District of Columbia
Local history books for Washington
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Guidebooks to historic places in Washington, D.C.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was St. John's Church listed on the National Register?
Oct 15, 1966. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
When was St. John's Church built?
1816, designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, in the Greek Revival architecture style.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit St. John's Church?
Yes. St. John's Church is recorded as open to the public.
Source: Wikidata
Where is St. John's Church?
16th and H Sts., NW, Washington, District of Columbia, District of Columbia. The nearest national park unit is The White House and President's Park, under a mile away.
Are there historic photographs or drawings of St. John's Church?
Yes. The Historic American Buildings Survey at the Library of Congress has drawings or photographs of it.
Source: Library of Congress
Where is the nomination form for St. John's Church?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Are there campgrounds near St. John's Church?
Three federal campgrounds are within reach. The closest is Rock Creek Park Group Picnic Areas (Dc), 4 miles away. Fort Dupont Park Picnic Areas is 4 miles away, and Greenbelt Park Ranger Station is 9 miles away.
Source: Campsite Atlas
Is there cell service at St. John's Church?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 66000868. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA. Drawings and photographs are Historic American Buildings Survey records at the Library of Congress, public domain.