Saint Paul’s Church National Historic Site, in Mount Vernon, New York, preserves one of the oldest church buildings in the United States. Construction of the church began in 1763 and was completed in 1787. The structure served as a hospital during the Revolutionary War in America (1775-1783). Exhibits at the historic site focus on the colonial and revolutionary periods of American history. John Adams, the second president of the United States, attended services at St. Paul’s Church.
A cemetery makes up most of the 6 acres (2.4 hectares) of the historic site. The cemetery includes the graves of many members of families of the original congregation, which was established in 1665. The oldest remaining gravestone on which the inscription can still be read dates from 1704. Veterans of every war in American history from the French and Indian War (1754-1763) to World War II (1939-1945) are buried in the cemetery.
In the early 1900’s, the area around the church became increasingly industrial, and attendance declined. From 1940 to 1942, the interior of the church was restored to its appearance in the late 1800’s. The last service at St. Paul’s as an Episcopal church took place in 1977. In 1978, the United States Congress authorized the St. Paul’s Church National Historic Site. The National Park Service and the Society of the National Shrine of the Bill of Rights operate the site.
