Long Branch Church of the Presidents Exterior Restoration Progressing

One of Long Branch's most famous reminders of its past is in need of repairs and even though its restoration is progressing, more funding is needed.

The Long Branch Historical Museum Association (LBHMA) is sponsoring a cocktail reception fundraiser for the . The Church of the Presidents, also known as the Saint James Chapel, is the last remaining building associated with the seven presidents who vacationed in the city in the late 1800s and early 20th century.

The reception will be held from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 16, at the Ocean Beach Club, 1035 Ocean Ave., in Long Branch. Admission to the reception is $100 per person and all proceeds will benefit the restoration of the chapel.

The fundraiser is expected to help to raise the remaining monies needed to complete the exterior restoration of the site, which is expected to cost about $233,000. The exterior restoration is funded in part by grants from the Monmouth County Historical Commission and the New Jersey Historic Trust, and must be matched dollar for dollar.

Owned by LBHMA, St. James Chapel was built in 1879 and gained fame as the Church of the Presidents because presidents Ulysses S. Grant, Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, Chester A. Arthur, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, and Woodrow Wilson attended services there. The building was saved from demolition in 1953 by the LBHMA, and functioned as a museum until instability forced its closure in 1999. It is listed on both the State of New Jersey and National Register of Historic Places.

The exterior restoration is Phase II of a four-phase preservation plan that also includes internal infrastructure repairs and upgrades that must be completed before the Church of the Presidents can be re-opened to the public. Phase I, a stabilization project to stop the structure from collapsing. A new roof has been installed and the building’s brick foundation, which required about 65 percent reconstruction, has been repaired. 

This year, the restoration of the building’s south-facing shingle siding was completed and the renovation of the north-facing siding is currently underway. 

Remaining exterior work includes replacing/repairing and painting the shingle siding, clapboard, and trim on the building’s west-facing side, as well as the base of its tower. 

More than $1.1 million has been spent on the exterior restoration thus far, with about $2.5 million required to complete the restoration of the church. , a paint supply company located in Long Branch, is donating the paint needed for the restoration. Michael Calafati of Cape May is the architect for the project and and Robert Frizell, Inc., of Forked River is the contractor.

Reservations for the cocktail reception can be obtained by sending pre-payment to LBHMA, P.O. Box 2204, Elberon, N.J., 07740. For more information, call 732-223-0874 or visit www.churchofthepresidents.org.