Christ Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Christ Episcopal Church, on Route 20 at the crossroads known as Duanesburg Churches, is a two-story clapboard meetinghouse built around 1793 on a fieldstone foundation. James Duane, who founded the town in 1765, planned the church as the centerpiece of a village green that never developed. The five-bay south facade has a central paneled double door, and a Palladian window sits behind the pulpit. A tower and octagonal spire were added in 1811. Inside, box pews, a gallery on Doric columns, an hourglass pulpit and a sounding board survive largely as originally built, and marble plaques honor Duane family members buried in the vault below. A nineteenth-century carriage shed and small cemetery are part of the property. The church is considered an outstanding New England style meetinghouse, the oldest unaltered Episcopal church in New York State, and a key landmark in the Duane family story. The congregation continues to maintain it.
Significance in brief: The nomination calls it an outstanding example of an eighteenth-century New England style meetinghouse and the oldest unaltered Episcopal church in New York State. Its towerless side-entrance plan is described as unique in upstate New York, and its interior retains a high degree of original integrity. It is also tied to James Duane, who founded the town, and is the burial place of the Duane family.
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 87000911, listed April 24, 1987. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | NY 20, Duanesburg |
|---|---|
| County | Schenectady County |
| Listed | April 24, 1987 |
| Reference number | 87000911 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architect / builder | Architect unknown; builder unknown (the narrative says it was built by James Duane in 1793) |
| Architectural style | New England style meetinghouse with Federal style detailing |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In present use as a church; described as unaltered, well maintained and in excellent condition, with no known threats. |
| Acreage | 4.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.76867, -74.15438 (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 87000911.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5108860
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.