Church of the Presidents

Preservation Plan and Phase I and II:
Structural Stabilization, and
Exterior Restoration

A landmark on Ocean Avenue in the Elberon Section of Long Branch, the structure was built in 1879 as Saint James Episcopal Chapel for an affluent summertime congregation. In 1953 the church was de-consecrated and acquired by the Long Branch Historical Museum Association. Since the LBHMA took possession of the church, it has become a repository for local history and has been the venue for well-regarded and popular art shows. The physical condition of the church, however, has been in decline in the past dozen years.

The Church of the Presidents is listed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places for its association with seven US presidents (Grant, Hayes, Garfield, Arthur, Harrison, McKinley, and Wilson) and for being a highly innovative example of late 19th century American architecture. Designed by the New York architectural firm of Potter & Robertson, the church employs Queen Anne and Colonial Revival elements. The structure is among the very few, if not the only, remaining late 19th century structures associated with Long Branch’s “Gilded Age,” a time when the resort was as fashionable as Newport, RI.

The building has been closed to the public since 1995. Structural stabilization of the building was completed in 2004, which included the installation of new structural components that reversed the deterioration caused by a naive and insubstantial original design. Trusses spanning the nave and supporting the tower were reinforced and repaired. Exterior restoration of the building (Phase II) is currently underway to complete structural reinforcement, execute exterior woodworking repairs and to restore the original color scheme based on an analysis prepared by HBA’s in-house conservation laboratory. The Church of the Presidents is an official project of the Save America’s Treasures program and has received a capital grant from the New Jersey Historic Trust.