No. 115 – “ST. MARY’S-BY-THE-SEA: THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF STONE HARBOR, N. J.” – Assembled here are 2 photographic images that reside in the Stone Harbor Museum archives.  According to the pamphlet titled “Stone Harbor: The Early Years” published in 1998,  “By 1910 the promotional efforts of the South Jersey Realty Company resulted in 52 permanent families in residence.  The desire to have an identified place of worship soon led to specific congregations to begin construction of their own church buildings”. 

St. Mary’s Episcopal Church became the first being organized in 1910 and actually erected in 1911.  These two photographs depicting the charming cedar-shingled structure were actually taken on the day when the church was officially dedicated during the much heralded Gala Week Festivities on July 2, 1911. Located at the corner of Third Avenue and 95th Street, the first church trustees included A. H. Harrington, Dr. David M. Hitch, James L. Newkirk, Howard Risley along with Rev. W. J. Cox as chairman. 

For many years services were only held during the summer months utilizing visiting ministers from the South Jersey area.  In 1927 a rectory was built at 310 95th Street and 5 years later in 1932 a large addition was constructed and attached to the original building.  Full year-round weekly winter church services were finally instituted and offered in 1953 when the Rev. E. Thomas Higgins, Jr. was installed as the first permanent vicar.  At that same time, Rev. James D. Kenna began conducting the year-round church services and did so for some 6 years.  Succeeding Rev. Kenna would be the Reverends George F. Freifeld and Edward S. Sykes who would serve in that order into and through the 1960s.