St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
St. Mark's Episcopal Church on Hudson Avenue in Green Island is a complex of stone buildings trimmed in brick, built in 1866-1867 to designs by Emlyn T. Littel, a student of Richard Upjohn. The church has a steeply pitched roof covered in scalloped, multicolored slate laid in horizontal stripes, a Celtic cross at the front gable, and a rose window framed in brick. A covered walk links it to a chapel and a stone bell tower that shifts from square to octagonal below an octagonal spire. A brick rectory was added in 1883-84. The design reflects English ecclesiological ideas and the use of contrasting colors and materials. It was commissioned by a well-to-do parish formed in 1865, when railroad and rail-car manufacturing had driven rapid growth. Green Island's population rose from 30 people in 1849 to 2,104 by 1865. The property is still used for worship.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an example of nineteenth-century American Gothic Revival church architecture inspired by the English ecclesiological movement. Its polychromy, with contrasting colors, materials and textures, reflects influences from Richard Upjohn and English polychrome designers. It was also built by a prosperous parish during Green Island's period of greatest economic growth.
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 78001839, listed November 7, 1978. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 69-75 Hudson Ave., Green Island |
|---|---|
| County | Albany County |
| Listed | November 7, 1978 |
| Reference number | 78001839 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1866-1867 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Emlyn T. Littel; Builder: Otis Clarke |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (simple Gothic style, ecclesiological) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed condition is good; the form marks the property as occupied, in religious use, and open to the public without restriction. |
| Acreage | 0.5 |
| Coordinates | 42.74180, -73.69110 (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 78001839.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589934
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.