St. Mary's Chapel
Also known as: See Also:St.Mary's College
Why it's listed
St. Mary's Chapel is a small Episcopal church at 900 Hillsborough Street in Raleigh, built in 1855 for St. Mary's School. Money donated by the Cameron family paid for it, and Richard Upjohn, who also designed Christ Church in Raleigh and Trinity Church in New York City, served as architect. The chapel began as a simple rectangular board-and-batten building with a steep gable roof. Transepts added in 1905 gave it a cruciform plan, but most of Upjohn's design remained intact. The south gable has a pointed portal, lancet windows, a rose window and a quatrefoil, while the interior has plaster walls above paneled wainscot, stained glass, a two-stage timber roof and a carved wooden reredos. Bishop Thomas Atkinson praised its beauty and suitability on a visit in 1858. It was recognized as a fine example of Gothic Revival church architecture, and the school's religious services had previously been held in a parlor and a fitted room.
Significance in brief: The chapel is a fine example of Gothic Revival church architecture by Richard Upjohn, who normally limited himself to more important commissions. Most of his work survives unaltered despite the 1905 addition of transepts. It is also tied to the history of St. Mary's School and the Cameron family, who funded it.
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 70000477, listed November 20, 1970. Summary generated October 2026 (model claude-sonnet-5-5, prompt v1.0-2026-10-29, confidence high).
Key facts
| Address | 900 Hillsborough St., Raleigh |
|---|---|
| County | Wake County |
| Listed | November 20, 1970 |
| Reference number | 70000477 |
| Resource type | Building |
| Period of significance | 19th Century (specific date 1855) |
| Architect / builder | Richard Upjohn (architect) |
| Architectural style | Gothic Revival |
| Areas of significance | Architecture |
| Level of significance | State |
| Status (as stated in the nomination) | Listed in excellent condition, altered (transepts added 1905, later additions), on its original site, with religious use and occupied. |
| Acreage | 9 |
| Within district | St. Mary's College |
| Coordinates | 35.78181, -78.65279 (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 70000477.
- Nomination form (PDF, National Archives) — catalog entry
- Wikipedia article (used for cross-checking only; text not reproduced here)
- Wikidata Q7590144
- This listing as JSON
Last updated October 2026. Found an error? See the editorial policy for how to report it.