Asbury United Methodist Church and Bethel Chapel and Cemetery
Why it's listed
Two linked Methodist sites in Croton-on-Hudson make up this district. Bethel Chapel, built around 1790, is a one-and-a-half-story clapboard meeting house with a simple plan, heavy timber framing and a gallery on tapered wood posts. It sits at the top of a hill surrounded by a cemetery that holds roughly 5,000 graves, including at least two Revolutionary War soldiers and the author Lorraine Hansberry. Land for the chapel and burial ground is traditionally tied to Pierre Van Cortlandt, and Bishop Francis Asbury's 1795 journal mentions the chapel. As the congregation grew, it built Asbury United Methodist Church, dedicated in 1883. This brick High Victorian Gothic building has a slate polychrome roof, an engaged corner tower and a large stained glass window added in 1891. The chapel is considered a rare, well-preserved example of plain Methodist building, and the church is valued for its proportions and detailing. A former bank, a passageway and a former rectory are noncontributing.
Significance in brief: The nomination argues the c. 1790 Bethel Chapel is a rare, unusually intact example of simple Methodist religious architecture that reflects the early presence of Methodism in the region. The 1883 church is described as a well-proportioned High Victorian Gothic building with distinctive features among Westchester religious buildings. The cemetery has been the village's only public burying ground for over 200 years.
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 00000310, listed March 31, 2000. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 19 Old Post Rd. and Old Post Rd. S, Croton-on-Hudson |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | March 31, 2000 |
| Reference number | 00000310 |
| Resource type | District |
| Period of significance | c. 1790 - 1950 |
| Architectural style | Late Victorian: High Victorian Eclectic; Early Republic: Federal |
| Criteria |
|
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | Local |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | The chapel is still used by the congregation for weddings, funerals and special events, and the cemetery is still active. The church is in use, and the former rectory is rented to an insurance agency. |
| Acreage | 6.8 |
| Coordinates | 41.20724, -73.87983 (NPS GIS) |
What listing means for this property
This is a historic district. Buildings within its boundary are either contributing (they add to the district's significance) or non-contributing. Owners of contributing income-producing buildings can claim the 20% federal rehabilitation tax credit; homeowners should look at state credits. National Register districts impose no design review by themselves; a local historic district ordinance, if one exists, does (the difference explained).
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 00000310.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q4803759
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.