St. Joseph's Chapel (Rhinecliff, New York)

Chapel of St. Joseph
Location Rhinecliff, New York
Denomination Roman Catholic
History
Founded 1862
Dedication St. Joseph
Administration
Archdiocese Archdiocese of New York

The Chapel of St. Joseph is a former Roman Catholic parish church under the authority of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New York, located in Rhinecliff, Dutchess County, New York. The parish was established in 1862 but around 1975 became a mission church of Good Shepherd Church (Rhinebeck, New York) and remains active.

History

Prior to 1862, Catholics is the area near Rhinecliff attended services in Rondout.[1] St.Joseph's was established in 1862 by Rev. Michael J. Skully to serve Irish Catholic families who settled in Rhinecliff to work on the railroad. Services were held at the Starr Institute. The parish included all the area between Poughkeepsie and Hudson, NY. and served as the mother church for the mission churches of Regina Coeli in Hyde Park, St. Paul's Staatsburgh, Sacred Heart Barrytown, and St Sylvia's in Tivoli.[2]

Originally the intent was to build on the northwest corner of Livingston and Mulberry Streets in Rhinebeck, but the lot was sold when the residents of Rhinecliff objected. In 1863 George Rogers of Tivoli bought six acres in Rhincliff from Charles H. Russell and deeded them to Father Skully for a church and cemetery. The church, built in 1864,[3] was designed by local architect George Veitch, with John Bird as master mason.[4]

In 1888 priests from St. Joseph's Rhinecliff also tended to a mission church, St. Joseph's in Clinton Corners,[5] St Paul's in Staatsburg later became a mission church of Regina Coeli in Hyde Park, and remains so.

Pastors

Buildings

The double-height painted timber church is designed in the native timber Gothic Revival style. The symmetrical five-bay double-height church has a three-stage tower fronting its forward gable, supporting a shingled needle spire. The tower and nave are flanked to both sides by five-bay lean-to aisles, which terminates distinguishing the final nave bay as the chancel. Windows are pointed stained-glass casements at aisle, and stepped to second stage tower. Rose window to third stage tower. Lozenge-shaped to clerestory.

References

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