St. Luke's Will Celebrate 100th Anniversary of the Gneiss Stone

In honor of the 100th anniversary of its stone edifice, parishioners from St. Luke's Episcopal Church will host a cocktail party on Wednesday evening.

The parish actually dates back over 150 years ago, but the stone church was built in 1910, reportedly using stones that had been excavated from below the East River in New York City.

St. Luke's parishioners first met in a smaller, wooden-framed chapel in East Hampton in 1859. Hugh King, the village historian, said, "When that church was built in the late 1850s, that was the first church building outside of the Presbyterian church in East Hampton."

King said the episcopal church was "pretty much a summer church" for many years.

It wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that St. Luke's became part of the Diocese of Long Island, and the congregation grew, that the stone church was built.

Thomas Nash designed and built the church to be a replica of All Saints' Church in Maidstone, England, which is the ancestral home of East Hampton's settlers. The stone that was so integral in the design of the church had been excavated from the first subway under the East River in New York City, and brought out by the Long Island Rail Road, which had by then reached the South Fork, King said.

As the congregation grew, and just before the stone church was built, the parish came to own another important piece of East Hampton's colonial history, which happens to be right next door. "People don't realize Home Sweet Home was owned by St. Luke's," King said.

"Luckily, they sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Gustav Buek," who lived there from 1907 until 1927. When Mr. Buek died in 1927, St. Luke's had the right to first refusal to buy the house back, King siad.

"St. Luke's Church stepped aside. The pastor at the time said, 'I think the village of East Hampton should have the right to own it.'" The pastor even went around the village, with the mayor, encouraging people to vote for the purchase in a referendum. Home Sweet Home Museum is a destination for tourists and schoolchildren to learn about the village's history. 

Those attending "Celebrate the Stones" have been asked to "dress festive" in the colors of the stone: silver, white, black, gray, tan, blue, pink and/or burgundy.

The party will be held in Howie Hall at the church from 5 to 7 p.m., and include a piano performance by Wilson Stone, a member of the church and an accomplished pianist (He just happened to have a fitting name for the event!). Hors d'oeurves and wine will be served.  Donations are suggested to help finish the choir room and small meeting room.