Trinity Church and Graveyard
Why it's listed
Trinity Church sits at the head of Wall Street in lower Manhattan, together with the oldest burial ground in the area. The present building, finished in 1846, is the third church of an Episcopal parish founded in 1697. The first burned in the Great Fire of 1776, and the second was torn down in 1839 after heavy snows weakened it. Architect Richard Upjohn designed the replacement in brownstone, drawing on A.W. Pugin's Perpendicular Gothic design for an ideal church. Its octagonal spire was once the tallest structure on the New York skyline, and its bronze doors are the work of noted American sculptors. The church is regarded as an early landmark of the Gothic Revival in America and one of Upjohn's finest works. The churchyard contains the graves of Alexander Hamilton, Robert Fulton, Albert Gallatin and Francis Lewis, the only Declaration of Independence signer buried in Manhattan. George Washington is recorded as having worshiped there.
Significance in brief: It is the oldest Episcopal church in New York City and an early triumph of the Gothic Revival in America. It is considered one of Richard Upjohn's masterpieces and secured his national reputation. The graveyard holds the graves of historical figures such as Alexander Hamilton and Robert Fulton.
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 76001252, listed December 8, 1976. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Broadway and Wall St., New York |
|---|---|
| County | Manhattan |
| Listed | December 8, 1976 |
| Reference number | 76001252 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1846 |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (1802-1878) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (Perpendicular Gothic; a free rendering of English Gothic) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | National |
| National Historic Landmark | Yes, designated December 8, 1976 |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed as occupied, in excellent condition, unaltered and on its original site; in religious use. |
| Acreage | 1.9 |
| Within district | Wall Street Historic District |
| Coordinates | 40.70811, -74.01207 (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 76001252.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q866896
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.