St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral
Why it's listed
Set on an irregular triangular lot in downtown Buffalo, St. Paul's Episcopal Cathedral faces a diagonal axis that contrasts with the regular blocks of offices, banks and public buildings around it. Richard Upjohn's plans were approved in 1849 to replace an earlier wooden church on land donated by the Holland Land Company in 1814. His asymmetrical design, with angled porches, answered the awkward site. The brown sandstone building was consecrated in 1851, and its 274-foot tower and smaller bell tower were completed in the 1870s to his original designs. A fire in 1888 destroyed the interior but left the masonry walls and towers standing. English architect Robert Gibson, who had won the competition for All Saints Cathedral in Albany, designed new interiors in his own style and added a clerestory above the nave. The cathedral is valued both as a distinguished work by two architects and as a landmark within Buffalo's downtown.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues that the combined work of two noted nineteenth-century architects, Richard Upjohn and Robert Gibson, makes the building architecturally distinctive. Upjohn's asymmetrical design with angled porches solved the problem of a triangular site, and experts regard it as one of his more distinguished designs. It is also significant in the Buffalo cityscape, near other prominent government and commercial buildings.
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 73002298, listed March 1, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 125 Pearl St., Buffalo |
|---|---|
| County | Erie County |
| Listed | March 1, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73002298 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1850-51; 1888 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (original design); Robert Gibson (interiors after the 1888 fire) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 23, 1987 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in good condition, occupied, and in religious use; the interiors were rebuilt after the 1888 fire. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.88279, -78.87620 (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 73002298.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7591022
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.