St. Paul's Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
St. Paul's Episcopal Church at 161 Mansion Street in Poughkeepsie is a masonry church of rough-cut stone, built in stages in 1873, 1892 and 1907. Its nave rises above the side aisles and has stained-glass clerestory windows, and an asymmetrical three-and-a-half-story tower with a broach spire stands at the southeast corner. The congregation was organized in 1835 and first built in the Grecian Doric style in 1837. In 1870 it chose Emlen T. Littel of New York to design a new Norman-Gothic building, constructed by William T. Harlow. Richard Upjohn worked on the south transept and gallery in 1892, and Tiffany Studios remodeled the nave beginning in 1907. The interior remains largely intact, with period doors, woodwork, hardware and furniture, and some windows were bought at the 1893 Columbian Exposition. The building is regarded as one of the finest Norman Gothic Revival churches in the city, and it remains in use as a church.
Significance in brief: The inventory form calls it one of the finest Norman Gothic Revival churches in Poughkeepsie. Its continued association with leading architects and interior designers such as Littel, Withers, Upjohn and Tiffany Studios gives it a significant place in the city's architectural history. The intact late Gothic Revival interior adds to that standing.
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 82001163, listed November 26, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 161 Mansion Ave., Poughkeepsie |
|---|---|
| County | Dutchess County |
| Listed | November 26, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82001163 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architects: Emlen T. Littel of NYC; Richard M. Upjohn; Tiffany Studios. Builders: William T. Harlow; Green & Meyers (Myers) |
| Architectural style | Norman Gothic Revival; late Gothic Revival interior |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; condition listed as good. A school addition was built in 1958 and a new roof in 1977. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.70670, -73.92181 (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 82001163.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591120
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.