Grace Episcopal Church is a historic church that is easily spotted on City Island’s main thoroughfare, City Island Avenue. Construction was done by ship carpenters from the David Carll shipyard nearby, and this architectural style is dubbed “carpenter Gothic”. The craftsmanship from these carpenters can be seen in the hand0cut beams and rafters and other details. I also read the if you were to turn the church on its roof, it would look like a ship’s hull, paying homage to these craftsmen’s primary career.

There’s also some history in the stained glass windows of the church. John Bolton, younger brother of William Bolton, who is credited for bringing the art of figural stained glass to the Americas, first created and installed all the stained glass windows. Only the altar window that depicts “The Trial of Christ” survives today.

Two other Boltons also contributed to the founding of the church: Reverend Cornelius Winter Bolton and Adele Bolton, brother and sister of John and William, first visited City Island in 1849 and began offering its residents a Sunday afternoon service. They were both instrumental in spreading the gospel and raising the funds to build the church that we see today.