Behind the church building is a cemetery with the graves of many of the early settlers of western Montgomery County, and some of the local roads and villages are namesakes of members of those pioneering families.

Construction of the church began in 1855, after community leader John L. DuFief donated three acres (1.2 ha) of land.

The cornerstone was laid on September 14, 1856, and a small vernacular frame building with no steeple and no stained-glass windows was constructed.

[1] Originally, the land around present-day Darnestown was used by European settlers for growing tobacco and corn.

[6] The nearest Presbyterian Church was established in Neelsville in 1845, and it shared its minister with the Darnestown worshippers.

[9] Shortly after Peter's offer, mill owner John L. DuFief donated three acres (1.2 ha) of land for the church.

To save money, a bell tower and stained glass windows were not part of the original structure.

"[10] The building was expanded in the late 1890s, and a bell tower and church parlor were added to the front of the structure.

The front section's trussed and bracketed door hood is a simplified characteristic of Gothic Revival, as are the pointed arch windows.

[14] Andrew Small was a Scottsman living in Georgetown that became familiar with Darnestown while his company was helping construct the C&O Canal.

Third, the church congregation would decide the location of a parsonage by January 1, 1867, and a house would be erected for a pastor who would devote at least three-fourths of his work in the Darnestown neighborhood.

After deducting the cost of the academy, the endowment was about $27,000 (equivalent to $537,417 in 2023) that was shared equally by the Darnestown and Neelsville branches.

[15] "The academy grounds contain six or seven acres filled with shade trees, and offer ample room for out-door exercise.

[18][Note 4] The church's cemetery contains the graves of some of the area's early settlers, including members of the Darne, Clagett, Offutt, and Tschiffely families.

[22] The Tschiffely family is associated with the nearby Kentlands neighborhood, and also owned a mill near the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal (a.k.a.