A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST JAMES
While there may have
been earlier Episcopal Services in Dover Plains, the Register only records Services
begun in the early 1890's when Saint James' became an Organized Mission of the Diocese of New York. Until the church
was built, in 1904, services were held in the Methodist Church, and in the 'mission' rooms, over a drug store,
in the building
on Mill Street now occupied by the Dover
Plains Public Library.
The first recorded
baptisms of the new Mission were administered by the Reverend Francis R.
Bateman on June 27, 1894, and in November 1894 is recorded the first Visitation
of the Bishop of New York, the Right Reverend Horace Coddington Potter, D.D.
The church building was built on its present site in 1904 by Rodgers & Brandt, local contractors, at a cost of $1900. The contract called for a building similar to St Peters Church Lithgow. These buildings have been referred to, architecturally, as "country carpenter Gothic.” Acting for the Bishop of New York, the Right Reverend James H. Van Buren, Bishop of Puerto Rico, consecrated the Church on September 11 1910.
During the early 1950's, the Parish Hall was added.
The stained glass
windows were executed by the Charles B. Connick Studios of Boston: the Altar
window of the Welcoming Christ, installed in 1968 and the West windows of Saint
James, our Patron Saint, and the Shield window above in 1969. The Sanctuary
Window of the Virgin Mary, and the Porch entrance windows of “Prayer” and
"Thanksgivings" were installed in 1970.
The chancel rugs of
needlepoint are given in memory of Natalie Bontecou Rogers, wife of Fr. Walter Allyn Rogers, Vicar from November 15, 1966 to June 30, 1980. The St James
symbols are taken from the west stained glass windows of the church.
The designs were executed by Rosetta Larsen of New York, and the
needle pointing by Mrs. Rogers' husband in 1973-74.
Landscaping and new planting around the entrance and western side of the church were completed in 1969. Since that time there have been many improvements made to the interior of the building, as well as the construction of a new wheelchair access ramp and replacement of the roof. Most recently, the concrete sidewalk was completely redone. A new larger church sign was also installed to replace the older, smaller but servicable one. A weeping cherry tree was planted in memory of a former Warden who passed at the begining of the new century.