St. Paul's Episcopal Church Complex
Why it's listed
St. Paul's Episcopal Church is a limestone church at the corner of State and Third Streets in Troy, built between 1826 and 1828 for an Episcopal congregation organized in 1795. Its design deliberately copies Ithiel Town's Trinity Church in New Haven, Connecticut, with a contract requiring it to match that building in nearly all respects. The Troy church kept its original square tower, which the New Haven church later lost. In the early 1890s the interior was rebuilt and redecorated by the Tiffany company, with designer J.A. Holzer. Galleries and the plaster ceiling were removed, carved trusses, opalescent glass, mosaics and Tiffany windows and chandeliers were added, and the result survives largely intact. Two parish buildings, the 1869 Guild House and the 1881 Martha Memorial House, are part of the complex. The congregation also drew many of Troy's industrial and merchant families and supported work among the city's poor.
Significance in brief: The church is a close copy of Ithiel Town's 1817 Trinity Church in New Haven, Connecticut, and keeps its original tower, which Trinity lost. Its interior was remodeled in the early 1890s by the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company and remains largely intact. The congregation, organized in 1795, was also an early and influential part of Troy's civic and social life.
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 79001624, listed September 7, 1979. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 58 3rd St., Troy |
|---|---|
| County | Rensselaer County |
| Listed | September 7, 1979 |
| Reference number | 79001624 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 |
| Architect / builder | Based on Ethiel (Ithiel) Town's Trinity Church design; built by local carpenters under a 1826 contract; 1890s interior by Louis C. Tiffany's company with J.A. Holzer |
| Architectural style | Early Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; the interior was restored in 1954 and the two adjoining buildings have been modernized in part. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Within district | Central Troy Historic District |
| Coordinates | 42.73026, -73.68951 (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 79001624.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q2322413
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.