Wanakena Presbyterian Church
Also known as: Mount Lebanon Presbyterian Church
Why it's listed
Wanakena Presbyterian Church is a small wood-frame church on Second Street in the Adirondack hamlet of Wanakena, built in 1903. Its steepled-ell plan places an entry tower with a louvered belfry and pyramidal roof where two wings meet. The walls are clapboard, set on a mortared fieldstone foundation, and the interior keeps beaded-board paneling, colored-glass windows, an oak pulpit and a Sunday School room that could be opened to the nave. Benjamin D. Price, a prolific church designer whose plans were sold by catalog, produced the design, and the Rich Lumber Company built it as the company town took shape. Only two other examples of the design are known in the Adirondack Park. The church also reflects the hamlet's settlement, the later arrival of the Ranger School after the lumber company left, and the growth of recreation in the region. It has served as a meeting place for local groups and a venue for summer concerts, and its bell has long signaled emergencies.
Significance in brief: The nomination presents it as a highly intact example of modest early-20th-century church architecture drawn from a Price catalog design, with only two other known examples in the Adirondack State Park. It is also tied to the lumber company settlement of Wanakena, to Adirondack tourism and recreation, and to a century of community 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 07001015, listed September 28, 2007. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 32 Second St., Wanakena |
|---|---|
| County | St. Lawrence County |
| Listed | September 28, 2007 |
| Reference number | 07001015 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1903-1957 |
| Architect / builder | Architect: Price, Benjamin D.; Builder: Rich Lumber Company |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Entertainment/Recreation, Social History, Exploration/Settlement |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a religious facility; the form says the church is used for community meetings and summer concerts, and the building retains a very high level of original integrity. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 44.13596, -74.92125 (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 07001015.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7967048
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.