National Register of Historic Places

St. James AME Zion Church

Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York
Listed
July 21, 1982
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
82003407

About this property

St. James AME Zion Church is a historic African Methodist Episcopal Zion church located at Ithaca in Tompkins County, New York. It is a two-story, frame church structure set on a high foundation and featuring a four-story entrance tower. The church structure was begun in the 1830s and modified many times since. The original stone meetinghouse was built in 1836 and is believed to be Ithaca's oldest church and one of the oldest in the AME Zion system. Historically, the church has played an important role in the history of Ithaca. During the 19th century, it was the site of abolitionist activity, both by ministers there and as a stop on the Underground Railroad. In the 20th century, the church was the site of the foundation of Alpha Phi Alpha, the nation's first official African American fraternity, and it also held early meetings of the NAACP in the region. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982.

Location

116--118 Cleveland Ave.
Ithaca, Tompkins County, New York
42.43779, -76.50457

Categories

BLACKARCHITECTURERELIGIONSOCIAL HISTORY
National Register nomination ›
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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Nearby Historic Sites

Tibbetts-Rumsey House
Industrial
0.2 mi
State Theater
Industrial
0.3 mi
Clinton Hall
Industrial
0.3 mi
Ithaca Gas and Electric Corporation Building
Industrial
0.3 mi
Jamieson and McKinney Block
Industrial
0.3 mi

Questions about this property

When was St. James AME Zion Church listed on the National Register?

St. James AME Zion Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on July 21, 1982.

What type of historic resource is St. James AME Zion Church?

St. James AME Zion Church is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for St. James AME Zion Church?

The period of significance for St. James AME Zion Church is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near St. James AME Zion Church?

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