Grace Episcopal Church
Why it's listed
Grace Episcopal Church sits on City Island Avenue in the Bronx, in a waterfront community on an island off the borough's east coast. Local ships' carpenters from the David Carll Shipyard built it between 1862 and 1867, hand cutting the beams and rafters and carving the pews. The frame church shows Carpenter Gothic traits: a steep roof, triangular-arched windows, decorative wooden buttresses, an off-center tower with a polygonal spire, and an exposed truss ceiling that echoes shipbuilding methods. Over the altar is a stained-glass triptych, The Trial of Christ, made by the Rev. John Bolton, whose family founded the congregation in 1849. A rectory from before 1868 and a 1923 parish hall complete the property. The church is recognized for its architecture and for reflecting the growth of City Island, supported by early residents. Later changes include 1931 interior fibrous board and 1980 aluminum siding.
Significance in brief: The church is argued to be a local example of a small rural Carpenter Gothic church, with Gothic details such as triangular-arched windows, vertical proportions and a beamed ceiling. It also holds a triptych window made by the Rev. John Bolton. Under Criterion A, it reflects the growth of the City Island community, supported by prominent early residents.
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 06000820, listed September 13, 2006. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 116 City Island Ave., Bronx |
|---|---|
| County | The Bronx |
| Listed | September 13, 2006 |
| Reference number | 06000820 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1862-1931 |
| Architect / builder | Built by ships' carpenters from the David Carll Shipyard |
| Architectural style | Mid-19th Century/Gothic Revival (Carpenter Gothic) |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Community Planning and Development |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Still used as a church; the parish hall stage is in regular use by the City Island Theater Group. Exterior walls are covered with aluminum shingles added in 1980. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 40.84104, -73.78401 (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 06000820.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q5591111
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.