Greene County Church and Parsonage, yours for $379,900

The grounds of just under an acre include a wood-frame church, a mid-1800s parsonage and a garage.

Photo via Country Boy Realty

This Green County property needs some TLC to bring it back to life, but for the right buyer it offers an opportunity to create a peaceful Catskill retreat. A 19th century wooden church and a cottage in brackets, the former parsonage, are included in the sale.

The real estate on the market at 18-24 Jerome Avenue in Cairo was home to Calvary Episcopal Church until 2020. The congregation was founded in the 1830s and held their last service at the church in December 2020. The Archdiocese of Albany sold the property to an LLC in 2022 and it is now back on the market.

map with black boxes indicating buildings — A map of Cairo published in 1856 shows a building marked as an Episcopal church at the top left. Map published by EA Bach via Library of Congress

Europeans settled this scenic area at the foot of the Catskills in the 17th century. A village was founded in 1803 after the construction of a turnpike stimulated some development. It was known as Canton until a name change in 1808 switched it to Cairo, now locally pronounced as “care-oh.”

While local industry and agriculture played a role, the natural beauty and accessibility of the area, especially thanks to railway services in the late 19th century, made tourism an important part of the economy. Early 20th century advertisements extolled the virtues of the “ideal for a summer spot” to Brooklynites, listing Cairo attractions and inns.

black and white advertisement with list of attractions in Cairo — A 1915 advertisement in the Brooklyn publication The Chat promoted Cairo as a summer destination for Brooklynites and included Episcopal in the list of Christian denominations represented in the city. Image via The chat

Calvary Episcopal Church was organized in 1832 and by 1833 the small congregation had built a wood frame church. A Bill 1833 from the first pastor, who split his time with another area church, reported that an ordination service was being held that summer and that an organ was “expected in a few days.” By 1870 there were 22 families in the congregation and among the property specified were the church, valued at an estimated $2,500, and a parsonage costing $2,000.

The builder behind the wooden frame of worship is unknown, although some of the later changes to the interior and exterior are better documented. The local structure is a mix of Greek Revival, with a pediment front and pilasters, and Gothic Revival, with the pointed arch windows.

A History of 1952 of the church, some major renovations at the end of the 19th century are noted, including new memorial windows in 1882. In 1894 a new organ was installed. The church was electrified and the interior underwent a major renovation between 1906 and 1907, which included removing galleries and installing more new windows. Local newspaper The Recorder reported in 1915 that another memorial window was designed for installation in the sanctuary and Harvey S. Olmstead that same year added storm windows, a storm door and a new furnace for the church to “make the building somewhat comfortable.”

church with wooden frame, pilasters and Gothic windows

Listing photos show stained glass windows commemorating local families are still in place, along with pews, a pulpit and other furnishings.

The mid-19th century parsonage next door still retains its cornices, but has lost its more decorative verandah. A circa 1920 image of the Historical Society of Cairo shows the original details that are still present.

The house needs a buyer with a love for old houses and an eye for potential. There are some original and charming vintage details in the house, but you have to look beyond the suspended ceilings and faux panelling.

black and white photo of a house in brackets — A photo from around 1920 shows the parsonage with the original porch details. Photo via Arnold Chadderdon Collection, Historical Society of Cairo

Parsonage with bracketed cornice and a screened porch at the front

The approximately 2,900 square foot home has two floors and there is a virtual tour who explores all the rooms.

At some point the staircase in the main hall house was closed off, perhaps to create a private family home on the upper floor, while the main level could be used for church-related functions. However, the ornate new post remained in place.

There is plenty of vintage wallpaper on the ground floor, including a red, white and blue toile in the hall and a damask in the living room. The latter is a long room, with two exposures, and the door and window treatments include the corner blocks found throughout most of the house. Across the hall is an office, bedroom and half bath.

A kitchen at the back of the floor is quite simple with wooden cabinets and more ceiling tiles, but also has two exposures and plenty of room for new furnishings. There is also a door to a rear porch.

Upstairs there is another kitchen, without appliances, but some Deco-era details are still present, including a sink and cupboards. The room has access to a screened in porch.

There are four bedrooms and some have wooden floors with potential, as can be seen from the photos. There is a full bath.

In addition to the church and parsonage, the property of just under an acre also includes a two-car garage.

The center is just a short walk away, with a post office, public library and some local businesses. It is about a 15 minute drive to the city of Catskill and Hudson is just across the Rip Van Winkle Bridge.

Matthew Loder of Country Boy Realty did just that the entry and the property cost $379,900.