St. Matthew's Episcopal Church
Also known as: St. Matthew's Episcopal Church and Close
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Why it's listed
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church is a small complex on 96th Street in Woodhaven, Queens, where a stone church, a parish hall and a rectory form a U around a grassy close. The church was built in 1927 to designs by parish member Robert F. Schirmer and replaced a frame church of 1901. It has a tall clerestoried nave, side aisles with buttresses, a battlemented bell tower and walls of quarry-faced gneiss with terra-cotta trim. Inside, it holds an important collection of stained glass, including the large 1927 Glorious Resurrection window, along with carved altar woodwork. The 1907 parish hall and the 1915 Dutch Colonial Revival rectory record the early years of the parish. For many years the church was the only one in the Brooklyn Manor section of Woodhaven. Its hall hosted civic and benevolent groups, Sunday schools and scout troops, and it remains a community gathering place.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is an outstanding example of Late Gothic Revival design inspired by English rural Gothic churches, with a notable collection of stained glass. The parish hall and rectory show the early growth of the parish. The complex also served as a community hub, hosting civic groups, Sunday schools and scout troops in the Brooklyn Manor section of Woodhaven.
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 01000550, listed May 25, 2001. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 85-45 96th St., Woodhaven |
|---|---|
| County | Queens |
| Listed | May 25, 2001 |
| Reference number | 01000550 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1907-1927 |
| Architect / builder | Robert F. Schirmer (architect) of Schirmer & Schmidt; Henry Bereau (builder) of Fraser & Bereau |
| Architectural style | Late Gothic Revival; Dutch Colonial Revival |
| Criteria |
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| Areas of significance | Architecture, Social History, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as a church; the rectory continues as the pastor's residence and the facilities host community groups. The parish hall and rectory have vinyl siding and replacement windows. |
| Acreage | 0.3 |
| Coordinates | 40.69615, -73.84916 (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 01000550.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590603
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.