Church of St. John in the Wilderness
Why it's listed
Set on the north side of Route 344 beside Taconic State Park, this small Episcopal church in Copake Falls was built in 1851-52 to designs by Richard Upjohn. Funds came from the Pomeroy family, who ran the local iron works, and from Isaac C. Chesbrough; the church was consecrated in June 1852. Its wood frame is clad in vertical board-and-batten, with a nave, side narthex, chancel, pointed lancet windows and an open timber bell cote on the west front. Upjohn also designed the interior furniture, which survives largely intact, and a picturesque parsonage added in 1853. The property includes the Pomeroy family cemetery, marked by a marble obelisk and cast iron fence. The church is regarded as one of the region's finest board-and-batten churches and an outstanding example of Upjohn's work. Its original siding was replaced in 1992 with matching material, yet the building keeps a high degree of architectural integrity.
Significance in brief: The church is argued to be architecturally significant as a distinguished example of Gothic Revival board-and-batten churches built in small New York towns in the mid-nineteenth century. It and the parsonage were designed by Richard Upjohn, a leading ecclesiastical architect who popularized board-and-batten for rural churches. It is described as one of the Hudson Valley region's finest examples of its type despite a recent siding replacement.
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 95000963, listed August 10, 1995. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of NY 344 and Valley View Rd., Copake Falls |
|---|---|
| County | Columbia County |
| Listed | August 10, 1995 |
| Reference number | 95000963 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1851-1911 |
| Architect / builder | Upjohn, Richard, Architect |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Church retains its original site, pews and altar furniture; siding was replaced in 1992 to replicate the original, and the foundation was replaced in the 1960s. Still used as a religious property and cemetery. |
| Acreage | 2 |
| Within district | Copake Iron Works Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.12078, -73.51864 (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 95000963.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5117239
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.