OUR HISTORY

OLD ST. PETER'S CHURCH

is located on the corner of Locust Avenue and Oregon Road, Cortlandt Manor, New York 10567. 

St. Peter’s Church is both a historic and contemporary congregation. Our Parish is one of 14 in the Diocese of New York which predate the American Revolution, and is one of the three oldest parishes in Westchester County.

When built in 1767, our original church building was the largest meeting place in this area. The original vaulted ceiling, supported by heavy hewn timbers shaped like ribs of an inverted ship, bears witness to the skilled construction of master craftsmen.

During the Revolutionary War, the building was used as a hospital by French General Rochambeau’s troops before and after the decisive battle at Yorktown, Virginia. General George Washington, also a church leader, was said to have read Morning Prayer in the church when staying at the Van Cortlandt Upper Manor House. Eight French Revolutionary War soldiers are buried near the church building. A memorial to these soldiers was dedicated in 1998.

In 1967, the building was completely restored. Currently it is used for church services on Memorial Day and the first Sunday in July. It is also opened for special events throughout the year. Since 1967, it has fallen into disrepair several times. In 2008, The Friends of Old St. Peter's Committee for Restoration and Recognition took the initiative and once again brought it back to it's full beauty by obtaining grants and having fundraisers to completely restore the interior, exterior and the roof.

The first church of St. Peter’s parish built on the present site was a wood Gothic structure erected in 1829. It was replaced in 1890 by the present stone building which was designed by well-known architect Richard Upjohn and consecrated on January 13, 1891.

OUR HISTORIAN DAVID GREY HAS SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR US TO READ:

I Love to Tell The Story” - St. Peter’s History

 - The ground on which St. Peter’s stands, was donated by Ward B.

Howard, with the understanding that members of his family be buried on

the grounds. Located in the Sacristy are the gravestones of:

   - Ward B. Howard, died July 19th, 1855, aged 66 years 7 months

and 1 day

   - Lucia Howard, wife of Ward B. Howard, died March 8th, 1834,

aged 59 years, 7 months, 14 days

   - Ward Augustus, son of Ward B. and Lucia Howard, died Feb.8th,

1852, aged 22 years

   - Sacred To the memory of William J. Mitchell, Son of Chauncey R

and Ann Mitchell, who died June 7, 1831, Aged 19 years

 - Howard House, used as the church Rectory, was built by Ward B.

Howard in 1838. He lived there then later moved to Howard St. and Broad

St. “due to noise on Division St. of stage coaches that annoyed him”.

In November, 1928, St. Peter’s Church sold “1500 feet of 1011 Howard

Street to Cornelius Pugsley” for $3900.

St. Peter’s bell has the engraving: “Cast by G.W. Holbrook, E. Medway,

Mass, Presented to St. Peter’s Church by General Pierre Van Cortlandt,

August 29.1849”. His son, Col. Pierre Van Cortlandt, gave St. Peter’s

the original marble font.

 David