St. Thomas' Episcopal Church

Built in 1869, St. Thomas’ is the oldest church building in Bath. It replaced a wooden structure in the southeast corner of Pulteney Square built in 1836. A painting of the original Church by Silas Wood dating from 1837 hangs in the Memorial Room of the Cook Memorial Parish House.

The first Service from The Book of Common Prayer in Steuben County was conducted at the behest of Elizabeth Hull Townsend, “that mother of the Church” as one of the old rectors called her. It was conducted by the Rev. Caleb Hopkins in the Bath Court House in 1815. From that time to the present, ministries of worship, service, caring and education have been sponsored by the Episcopal Church in this area.

The Church was opened January 28, 1871. Judge Constant Cook was the prime mover and benefactor of the project. Its architect was Henry Dudley of New York who designed a" stone building of neo-Gothic design including a clerestory [the upper part of the church containing windows for lighting the central part of the church], with nave and aisles, and chapel
attached.”