St. William's Catholic Church
Also known as: St. William's on Long Point
Why it's listed
St. William's Catholic Church sits in a small lakeside clearing on Long Point at Raquette Lake in Hamilton County, New York, reachable only by boat or footpath. Built in 1890, it is a rectangular, one-story church with a steeply pitched roof, a rounded apse, and a two-story cylindrical entrance tower flanked by open porches. Wood shingles cover the roof, walls, posts and railings, giving the building the continuous skin typical of the Shingle style. Inside are a vestibule, a sanctuary with exposed wood trusses, stenciled ceiling, wainscoting, pews and a wooden altarpiece, and a sacristy. William West Durant, an Adirondack developer, donated the land, cash and lumber. J.C. Cady & Co. designed the church and Hammond & Mosher of Saratoga Springs built it. It is recognized for its architecture, its intact interior and exterior, and its link to Raquette Lake's development as a summer resort community between 1890 and 1954.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of turn-of-the-century Shingle style church architecture in the Adirondacks (Criterion C). It is also significant as a religious institution tied to Raquette Lake's growth as a summer resort community (Criterion A). It is associated with William West Durant, who donated the land, funds and materials and who pioneered the region's rustic architecture.
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 04001446, listed January 7, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Long Point on Raquette Lake, Long Lake |
|---|---|
| County | Hamilton County |
| Listed | January 7, 2005 |
| Reference number | 04001446 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1890 - 1954 |
| Architect / builder | J.C. Cady & Co. (Architects); Hammond & Mosher (Builders) |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Shingle Style |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Described as well cared for with high architectural integrity; renovation work was done in the late 1990s. Current use is listed as education/entertainment/spiritual retreats. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | New York Central Railroad Adirondack Division Historic District |
| Coordinates | 43.82592, -74.63165 (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 04001446.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7592159
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.