Old St. Peter's Church
Also known as: St. Peter's Church of Cortlandt
Why it's listed
Old St. Peter's Church is a small wood-frame church at Oregon Road and Locust Avenue in Van Cortlandtville, near Peekskill. It measures only 28 by 36 feet and rests on a dry stone foundation, with clapboard siding and a shingled roof that curves gently at the eaves, a feature often linked to Dutch or German building traditions. Entered on its long west side, it follows the early plan used for Church of England buildings, with a central pulpit on the east wall and a gallery along the north and west walls. Land was set aside in 1750 for a church, school and burying place, and construction began in 1766. The church was consecrated in August 1767 and received a royal charter in 1770. It saw little use during the Revolution, when French troops under General Rochambeau used it as a hospital in 1781 and 1782. After the congregation moved to Peekskill in 1838, services were sporadic until a 1964 restoration.
Significance in brief: It is described as a rare surviving clapboard church following the early plan of Church of England buildings. It is a landmark of the early settlement of Van Cortlandtville. In 1781 and 1782 it served as a hospital for the French troops of General Rochambeau.
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 73001292, listed March 7, 1973. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence medium).
Key facts
| Address | Oregon Rd. and Locust Ave., Van Cortlandtville |
|---|---|
| County | Westchester County |
| Listed | March 7, 1973 |
| Reference number | 73001292 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 1766-1767 |
| Architectural style | Early Church of England plan; 18th-century clapboard frame construction |
| Areas of significance | Architecture, Art, Military |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Restored in 1964; condition listed as good, occupied, with religious use and unrestricted public access. |
| Acreage | 6.5 |
| Coordinates | 41.31448, -73.90023 (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 73001292.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7085055
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.