All Saints' Chapel
Also known as: Rosendale Library
Approximate location: the National Park Service places this pin arbitrarily within the property, not at a surveyed point (stated accuracy ±12 m).
Why it's listed
Built in 1876-1877 on Main Street in Rosendale, All Saints' Chapel is a small Gothic Revival church with a rectangular chancel, a steep slate roof patterned with scallops and flowers, and a hexagonal spire above a short tower. Its walls are uncoursed cement rock rubble laid in local natural cement, partly plastered over so the surface looks roughly stuccoed, and set with embedded shells and brick arches around the openings. The design follows English rural parish churches, with decorative nods to Venetian Gothic sources popularized by John Ruskin. The materials came from local clay and limestone deposits that supported Rosendale's cement and brick industries, making the building a visible reminder of the village's economic base. The chapel began as an Episcopal mission, became a parish in 1893, and closed in 1956 after a flood. It was bought in 1957 to prevent demolition and opened as a library in 1959. A fire in 1975 led to renovation and a new west wing.
Significance in brief: The chapel is significant as an unusual local interpretation of Gothic Revival church architecture, based on English rural parish churches with Venetian Gothic decorative references drawn from John Ruskin. Its walls are built of local natural cement, cement rock and brick, with embedded shells, and so symbolize the cement and brick industries that drove Rosendale's nineteenth-century economy.
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 86002511, listed September 11, 1986. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | Main St., Rosendale |
|---|---|
| County | Ulster County |
| Listed | September 11, 1986 |
| Reference number | 86002511 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1800-1899 (specific dates 1876-1877) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival (Early English Gothic parish church model with Ruskinian Gothic references) |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | In use as the Rosendale Library; condition listed as excellent and altered, with a west wing added in the early 1970s and renovations after a 1975 fire. |
| Acreage | 0.9 |
| Coordinates | 41.84567, -74.07596 (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 86002511.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7368554
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.