St. James AME Zion Church
Why it's listed
St. James AME Zion Church at 116-118 Cleveland Avenue in Ithaca began about 1836 as a single room of fieldstone and has been enlarged repeatedly. A clapboard second story was added around 1861, followed by a vestibule and belfry tower, a rear addition, an eastward expansion in 1913, and a rose window in 1945. The original stone walls and a paneled door remain visible at the foundation. The congregation traces its roots to 1825 and was chartered as an AME Zion church in 1833. Its pastors included Thomas James and Jermain Loguen, and Harriet Tubman and Frederick Douglass are recorded as visitors. The church was an Underground Railroad station and later a secular meeting place for the city's south side. In 1913 seven Cornell students founded Alpha Phi Alpha in its basement. Believed to be Ithaca's oldest church building, it shows how poor congregations grew their buildings in stages. It was restored on the exterior in 1981.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the church played a central role in Ithaca's black community, especially during mid-nineteenth-century anti-slavery activity, when it served as an Underground Railroad station. Built in 1836, it is believed to be Ithaca's oldest church and one of the oldest in the AME Zion system. It also illustrates the additive method of construction common among poor congregations.
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 82003407, listed July 22, 1982. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | 116--118 Cleveland Ave., Ithaca |
|---|---|
| County | Tompkins County |
| Listed | July 22, 1982 |
| Reference number | 82003407 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Architectural style | Simple vernacular building |
| Areas of significance | Black, Architecture, Religion, Social History |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Occupied and in religious use; the exterior was restored in 1981 with a community development grant, and the condition is listed as fair. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 42.43779, -76.50457 (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 82003407.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7588427
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.