St. Mark's Church
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1865 on the corner of West Main and Elm Streets in Port Leyden, St. Mark's Church is a small wooden Episcopal church in the Gothic Revival style. Its board-and-batten walls, tall lancet windows, shallow buttresses and pointed-arch doorways sit on a random coursed stone foundation. Inside, trefoil details decorate the pews, altar rail and altar, and stained glass lights the front gable and chancel. An anonymous local builder adapted the design from plans developed by Richard Upjohn for rural Episcopal parishes. The congregation grew from services held by clergy from nearby parishes, was incorporated in June 1865, and built the church with a gift of land and $500 from Mrs. Augustus Snyder. Port Leyden had prospered as a port on the Black River Canal. The church is valued as an intact example of rural Gothic Revival design in wood and as evidence of Episcopal expansion along transportation routes. It has stayed in continuous service to the village, apart from brief closings.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues it is an intact example of a rural board-and-batten Gothic Revival church, adapted by an anonymous local builder from designs developed by Richard Upjohn for rural Episcopal parishes. It also documents the spread of the Episcopal Church along developing transportation corridors in the mid-nineteenth century, under Bishop De Lancey, local clergy and laymen.
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 98001003, listed August 6, 1998. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Jct. of West Main and Elm Sts., Port Leyden |
|---|---|
| County | Lewis County |
| Listed | August 6, 1998 |
| Reference number | 98001003 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1865 |
| Architect / builder | Anonymous local builder, adapting designs developed by Richard Upjohn |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century / Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Religion, Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; the form says the church has remained in continuous service apart from brief closings at unknown dates. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.58112, -75.34929 (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 98001003.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7589919
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.