On Christmas Day, 1853, in a tiny public school on Old Post Road North in Croton-on-Hudson, NY, a small group of Episcopalians gathered to worship with the Rev. Augustus Villette Clarkson.

Two years later, in 1855, a parish was incorporated as the "Rector, Wardens and Vestrymen of the Church of St. Augustine." Soon after the incorporation, Philip Van Wyck, grandson of the Lieutenant Governor of New York, gave land for the church building to the parish.

On July 30th, 1857, the cornerstone was set for the building that continues to be the church home for the St. Augustine's parish. The Vestry minutes resolved: "When we do build, we shall build of good, hard, common brick." And so it was that the church was erected of bricks fashioned at the brickyard on Croton Point.

St. Augustine's has been a vital part of the community for over 150 years and we pray that God will bless our ministry in Croton-on-Hudson for many years to come.

In the early 2000's, several interior modifications that were made in the 20th century were reversed, including the removal of a reredos (shown in the photo top left) that had covered the original window in the chancel and the reinstallation of a table style altar and ungated communion rail. In 2005 St. Augustine's applied to the National Trust for Historic Preservation for landmark status.

For more details about our history, read parishioner Bill Michaelsen's account, available in pdf version.

During the year 2005, as part of the search for a new rector, a profile of the parish at that time was created and is an important part of our historical record. Parish Profile 2005