Saint Andrew's Chapel
Why it's listed
Built in 1899 on Washington Mountain Road, St. Andrew's Chapel is a small Gothic Revival building of coursed fieldstone. Pittsfield architect George C. Harding designed it; it was an early commission in his career. The plan is a rectangular nave with a square, flat-roofed corner tower to the southeast, buttresses along the nave, and a steep gable roof. A tripartite stained-glass window showing St. Andrew between panels of stylized flowers fills the gable end. The chapel was a gift from New York businessman George F. Crane, who summered in Washington, and it occupies the site of the home of the town's first minister. It reflects the town's short-lived appeal as a summer retreat for wealthy families around 1900. Services were held when the Crane family was in residence. The Episcopal Diocese of Western Massachusetts received it in 1937, and the town received it in 1977. A town committee now runs it, and it hosts ecumenical services. It is unaltered and in excellent condition.
Significance in brief: The chapel is described as a finely proportioned example of Gothic Revival architecture and Washington's most impressive late 19th century public building. It also reflects the town's brief popularity as a summer resort for wealthy city dwellers, since it was a gift from New York businessman George F. Crane. It was judged locally significant under Criteria A and C.
Machine-generated summary. This summary was generated by a language model from the official nomination document and has not been reviewed line by line by an editor. It may contain errors. Check the source document before relying on any detail. Source: nomination document (PDF) · National Archives catalog entry. NRHP reference 86002142, listed September 12, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Washington Mountain Rd., Washington |
|---|---|
| County | Berkshire County |
| Listed | September 12, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002142 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | George C. Harding |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Condition is listed as excellent, with no major alterations. The chapel is run by a town committee and used frequently for ecumenical services. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.35764, -73.13241 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
Religious properties are listed for their architectural or historical significance, not their religious use. Listing is honorary and does not restrict the congregation's use of the building. The federal rehabilitation credit is generally unavailable unless part of the building is income-producing; some state programmes and preservation grants do cover religious buildings. Federal funding or permits trigger Section 106 review.
General information, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; confirm with your State Historic Preservation Office or a qualified adviser.
Sources and further reading
- National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places database (snapshot May 2026), reference 86002142.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7400905
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.