Brick Chapel Church and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Brick Chapel Church and Cemetery sit on a prominent knoll about three miles south of Canton, surrounded by farmland and woods. The brick church, built in 1858, replaced an earlier brick meeting house of about 1823 and reused its bricks on the interior walls. It measures 40 by 56 feet, rests on a stone basement, and has a gable roof with bracketed eaves and a square bell tower engaged in the front facade. Inside, oak pews, a Gothic-inspired balcony and six memorial stained-glass windows from 1923 survive. The church served a Methodist congregation organized in 1808, which later merged with local Presbyterians in 1912. The adjoining cemetery dates to 1809 and holds several hundred burials, with weeping willow, urn and winged angel head carvings and many obelisks. The property was listed for its architecture as a well-preserved rural vernacular church. It still holds services on a seasonal basis.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church is a remarkably intact example of mid-nineteenth century rural vernacular religious architecture in Canton, with a rectangular gable-roofed form and engaged square bell tower. The adjoining cemetery, with several hundred markers from the early and mid-1800s, adds to its significance by showing typical funerary art motifs. It is also described as one of the oldest and most important religious buildings in the town and county.
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 05001461, listed December 22, 2005. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 5501 Cty Rte 27, Canton |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | December 22, 2005 |
| Reference number | 05001461 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1809 - 1925 |
| Architectural style | Mid 19th Century and late 19th Century: vernacular (described in the text as vernacular Greek Revival) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The church still operates on a seasonal basis, open primarily in summer; the cemetery is described as intact and well maintained. |
| Acreage | 6.8 |
| Coordinates | 44.56012, -75.11574 (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 05001461.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4965891
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.