Home / Arts and Entertainment / Historic Mansion Opens Doors for Chapel Restoration
Historic Mansion Opens Doors for Chapel Restoration
24 Jun
Summary
- Tisdale Mansion open house benefits Old Stone Chapel restoration.
- Proceeds from $10 admission fee support historical society's work.
- Chapel, a Gothic architecture example, to offer Saturday tours.
The historic Tisdale Mansion at 105 W. Washington St. in Sackets Harbor will host an open house this Friday, offering the public a chance to tour the revitalized landmark. Owners Richard Koch and Charlene Eastman are opening their doors from 3 to 7 p.m. The $10 admission fee will support the Sackets Harbor Historical Society's preservation work at the Old Stone Chapel, located at 215 E. Main St.
The Old Stone Chapel, completed in 1832, is recognized as an early example of Gothic architecture and a significant building in Jefferson County. The Historical Society acquired it in 2021. It is noted as the oldest church north of the Mohawk Valley until St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Waddington, built in 1818, was acquired by its village.
Restoration of the Tisdale Mansion, built between 1815 and 1818, is approximately 80% complete. Koch expressed enthusiasm for sharing the progress with the community, noting the building's historical significance, standing on land once occupied by Fort Virginia, a blockhouse from the War of 1812.
Beginning Saturday, June 28, 2026, the Old Stone Chapel will be open for public tours every Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. These tours will provide historical information about the building, which features a classic 18th-century church design with a square belfry and is constructed from local limestone. Ongoing improvements include replacing storm windows and installing an ADA-compliant ramp.
