Unless indicated below, this is a transcript of the original Society for the Preservation of Long Island Antiquities/Town of Brookhaven survey form. Since most of the surveys were conducted in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s, much of the information reflects that time period.

Corrections to obvious typographical and spelling errors have been made. Corrections to factual errors in the original surveys, and updates or comments on the information are either enclosed in [square brackets], or are clearly indicated as updated material from the context of the comments.

Sites with an Inventory Code suffix of “S” are supplemental sites not included in the original surveys.

BUILDING-STRUCTURE INVENTORY FORM

St. James Episcopal Church

If checked, this is a Supplemental Form, not in the original surveys.

Inventory Code:		Br28A
Prepared Date:		1975-03-10
Last Modified:		1970-01-01

Original Submitter

Submitter Name:	Mrs. Paul W. Bigelow
Submitter Address:	7 Thornhedge Road Bellport, NY 11713
Organization:	Bellport-Brookhaven Historical Society

Identification

1-Building/Site Name:	St. James Episcopal Church
2a-County:	Suffolk	2b-Town:	Brookhaven	2c-Village:	Hamlet of Brookhaven
3-Street Location:

Ownership

4a-Public	4b-Private
5a-Present Owner: church	5b-Address:

Use

6a-Original: chapel

6b-Present: church

Accessibility

7a-Visible From Road
7b-Interior Accessible
7b-Interior Comment:

Building Materials

8a-Clapboard	8b-Stone	8c-Brick
8d-Board & Batten	8e-Cobblestone	8f-Shingles
8g-Stucco

8-Other: shingles "over siding"

Structural System

9a-Wood Frame Interlocking Joints	9b-Wood Frame Light Members:	9c-Masonry:
9d-Metal
9d-Metal Comment:
9e-Other
9e-Other Comment:

Condition

10a-Excellent

10b-Good

10c-Fair

10d-Deteriorated

Integrity

11a-Original Site	11b-Moved	If so, when?
11c-Alterations: steeple added (bell tower) 1961 [or 1960, see below]. "gingerbread" removed 1908. «»

Photo & Map

12-Photo
13-Map	View Larger Map

Threats

[Threats were not evaluated in the original South Shore Estuary Survey. They are an evaluation by J. Deitz]

14a-None Known:	14b-Zoning	14c-Roads
14d-Developers	14e-Deterioration
14f-Other:
14-Comment:

Related Outbuildings and Property

15a-Barn	15b-Carriage House	15c-Garage
15d-Privy	15e-Shed	15f-Greenhouse
15g-Shop	15h-Gardens	15i-Landscape Features
15i-Landscape Features:
15j-Other:
15-Comment:

Surroundings of the Building

16a-Open Land	16b-Woodland	16c-Scattered Bldgs.
16d-Densely Built-up	16e-Commercial	16f-Industrial
16g-Residential	16h-Other:

Interrelationship of Building and Surroundings

17-Interrelationships:

Other Notable Features of Building and Site

18-Notable Features:

«»

Significance

19-Initial Const Date:	1872/75, on land given by Mr. And Mrs. John L. Ireland.
19-Architect:
19-Builder:

Historic and Architectural Importance

20-Importance:

St. James' Mission had its beginnings some time prior to 1872, when the Rev. Charles Douglas held services in the home of Charles Swezey (Historic Site ID Br27A.1-S), which stood on the northeast corner of Beaver Dam and Fire Place Neck Roads. A lady who boarded with Mr. Swezey wrote to Bishop Littlejohn asking him to establish an Episcopal Church in Brookhaven, It wasn't until the third appeal that the Bishop commanded Mr. Cook to build a church.

On July 22, 1872, John L. Ireland and Mary Floyd, his wife, deeded to the Trustees of the Diocese a plot of land on the northeast corner of his farm. The deed provided that the ground was to be used for an Episcopal Church and Rectory. The foundation was laid and in 1874 the chapel was built in Brookhaven at a cost of $1800. St. James was chosen as the patron saint. The first regular priest was the Rev. Ingraham N. W. Irvine.

Throughout the years, St. James' has had an interesting and varried ministry. In 1918, the local Red Cross used the church as a sewing room and storehouse. The organ and baptismal font as well as many of the windows were gifts from residents of Brookhaven Hamlet, Mr. Malcolm Frazer, a local artist, painted the window over the altar which made it look much like "stained glass." Throughout the years, St. James' has been served by many clergy. At the 1998 Annual Meeting, Norman Nelson told the members that his grandfather and grand uncle kept St. James' alive during World War I by being the only members attending service. One would read the prayers, etc., and the other would respond. "If no one attended church, the church did not exist.

Excerpted from a 2007 pamphlet prepared by the Church. «»

Sources

21-Sources:

"Bellport-Brookhaven" published 1968 by Bellport Brookhaven Historical Society.
2007 Pamphlet prepared by St. James Church.
South Side Signal (Babylon), 24 Aug 1872. «»

Theme

22-Theme:

Prepared By:

Supplemental Material:

South Side Signal (Babylon), 30 Jan 1875, p. 3:
"Brookhaven has an elegant new Episcopal church. A new union school house two story and other improvements will soon be added. Old Fire Place is warming up."

Long Island Advance, 4 February 2010, From the Archives of the Long Island Advance, 50 Years Ago: [Feb 1960]
"The Rev. Richard W. Gray, vicar of St. James Episcopal Church in Brookhaven hamlet, has announced plans to build a bell tower on the front of the church this summer. Ever since the old belfry was removed a number of years ago, due to lack of funds when the new roof was put on the church, members have hoped to see the day that the bell would once again be able to ring out on Sunday mornings, as it had for so many years. The bell, which stands over 30 inches high, was cast especially for the church in 1879, a gift of the late John P. Ireland."