St. James' Church
Why it's listed
Standing at the corner of Bridge and North Streets in the village of Cleveland, on the north shore of Oneida Lake, this small board-and-batten church was built in 1867-68 for a local Episcopal parish. The founders apparently lacked professional architectural advice and turned to Rev. H. Gaylord Wood of Herkimer, who drew on Richard Upjohn's designs for wooden country churches, moving the tower to the rear side of the nave. Stepped buttresses, lancet windows with hood moldings, a steep roof and an open beaded-board ceiling give it a Gothic character. Few changes have been made inside or out, and the setting beside the village tannery pond remains largely intact. The church is valued as one of the best-preserved frame Gothic Revival churches in the Diocese of Central New York, and as a product of Episcopal expansion tied to the local glass industry. The parish declined with that industry and became a mission in 1895. The church is now used for summer services.
Significance in brief: It is a fully intact example of rural Gothic Revival church design modeled on Richard Upjohn's plans for small wooden churches, and it is among the few of about twenty surviving frame Gothic Revival buildings in the Diocese with the highest integrity. It is also significant for religion and community development, as one of many buildings resulting from Episcopal Church expansion in the Dioceses of Western and Central New York.
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 96000958, listed August 30, 1996. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | North St., jct. with Bridge St., Cleveland |
|---|---|
| County | Oswego County |
| Listed | August 30, 1996 |
| Reference number | 96000958 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1867 - 1895 |
| Architect / builder | Reverend H. Gaylord Wood |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church is presently open for summer services; it became a mission rather than a parish in 1895. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 43.23395, -75.88179 (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 96000958.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588394
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.