St. James Chapel
Also known as: All Souls Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Perched on a rise above Main Street in Stony Brook, this small shingled chapel was built in 1889 for the congregation of St. James Episcopal Church, which commissioned it from architect Stanford White, a church member who also had a summer home nearby. Though modest in size, it holds the parts of a much larger church: narthex, nave, chancel, sacristy and organ chamber. Its gabled form is accented by an open arcaded porch, cross gables and an octagonal bell tower, with a steeple rebuilt exactly after lightning destroyed the original. Inside, slender wooden arches support an open roof. A German-made stained-glass window and an 1855 tracker organ, moved from the earlier church, remain in place. The chapel was named All Souls Episcopal Church in 1952. It is recognized as an intact example of Long Island's wood-clad churches, as a work of Stanford White, and as a reminder of Stony Brook's growth as a resort community around 1890.
Significance in brief: The chapel is argued to be a highly intact, distinctive example of the late nineteenth century tradition of wood-framed, wood-clad churches in then-rural Long Island, and the work of the prominent architect Stanford White. It also represents Stony Brook's transition from an agricultural and maritime economy to a resort and retreat setting favored by affluent New York City residents and artists.
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 00000583, listed June 16, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | E. side of Main St., 250 ft. N. of Stony Brook Ln., Brookhaven |
|---|---|
| County | Suffolk County |
| Listed | June 16, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000583 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1889 |
| Architect / builder | White, Stanford E. |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian/Queen Anne |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still in use as All Souls Episcopal Church; the tracker organ is regularly used for services and is being restored. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.91576, -73.14681 (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 00000583.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q259031
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.